Some of you may know that in January I travelled to South Africa with HOPEHIV to see some of the projects they sponsor. The trip was desperate and heartbreaking at times but also inspiring. One of HOPEHIVs partners is a group called Umthombo, which is run by former street children with an objective to help street children in Durban and East London. Umthombo know that the source of many street kids in East London is the municipal rubbish dump known as "Second Creek". Believe me, this is one of the most desperate places on earth. Roughly 1000 people live in, or just outside the dump, many of which are children or young adolescents. Many of the young children are orphans being cared for by a guardian who more often that not is an older sibling. Everyone is struggling to survive by sifting through the rubbish for items that can be recycled. It goes without saying that this is an extremely hostile environment and certainly not a place for children of any age, especially those under 7. This is where Umthombo come in to play and where you can help these vulnerable children. The creche at Second Creek (which can be seen in the picture) is truly inspiring, basic but potentially very effective. It is run by trained local volunteers from the community. The children can spend the day there playing in a safe environment, they get a meal and with Umthombo's assistance get the correct support so the children can go to the local school and receive that all important education. The tragedy at the moment is that the local authority who were partially funding the creche have withdrawn their funding without warning. There are 60-70 children in the creche and they are now at real risk of losing the only safety they have from the harsh reality of life on a rubbish dump, as well as the opportunity an education may bring them. These are all things that I know I've taken for granted in my life but they just don't exist for these little guys. That is why this year I've entered the Windsor Triathlon and I'm asking for your support so that during these difficult times we can support this inspiring initiative until a sustainable long term strategy is developed. Thank You.

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