HOPE Cape Town Association

About us

HOPE Cape Town Association, founded in 2001, is a Non-Profit Organisation based at the Tygerberg Academic Health Complex in Cape Town, South Africa. HOPE Cape Town is co-located and associated with the Ithemba (Hope) Infectious Paediatric Ward G7 at Tygerberg Hospital and linked to the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch.

The organisation’s purpose is to directly address the HIV and AIDS pandemic by providing access to education, treatment and on-going support within the existing provincial and municipal health structures. HOPE Cape Town facilitates and assists with the care and treatment of HIV-infected children and adolescents on the Ithemba Ward as well as with the support of the patients’ mothers and caretakers.

HOPE Cape Town Association also trains and places a network of 23 community health workers in 19 selected township clinics to provide current HIV, AIDS and TB knowledge, counseling and support for clients, assist with treatment regime adherence and home visits at the primary health care level. An e-learning course has been prepared which will train many CHWs in an efficient way and with novel skills development.

In 2003, HOPE Cape Town took the singular initiative to include traditional healers (Sangomas) into the project portfolio, based on the belief that all levels of community leadership and expertise are essential for successful HIV, AIDS and TB outreach. Within the trial communities, the HOPE Community Health Worker and the Sangoma liaise to provide coordinated services to clients exploring traditional options and clinic treatment. In 2010, this unique pilot was extended by the so-called 'Muti Project', which examines the drug interaction potential of some traditional medicines used by South African Sangomas and ARVs.

HOPE Cape Town also offers short-term HIV and AIDS awareness training to local organizations, companies and schools as part of its community outreach. The organization also supports grassroots initiatives such as support groups, and small-scale income-generating projects. The Nutrition Project, a collaboration with the local micro-farming NGO ‘Abalimi Bezekhaya’, provides nutritional support and advice for families affected by HIV.

Strong, enduring partnerships are the mainstay of HOPE Cape Town operations. Academic partners include the KID-CRU, Stellenbosch University, TU Munich and Hochschule Niederrhein.