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"I never look at the masses as my responsibility. I look at the individual. I can only love one person at a time."
- Mother Teresa |
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| About Open Arms |
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Open Arms Home for Children is an established non-profit organization registered in South Africa and the United States. Founded by Bob and Sallie Solis of Arizona, the Home provides love and security to children orphaned by the AIDS pandemic in South Africa.
Open Arms Core Values
- We create a safe, welcoming, home-like environment for children.
- We instill feelings of self-worth and values in a spirit of compassion
- We respect the rights of children
- We focus on the best interests of each child
- We treat all people with respect
- We maintain integrity by operating honestly and ethically in everything
- We always believe that we can make a difference
- We offer hope to the children and families we serve
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Open Arms Statistics: |
The need for the Home is supported by the following statistics:
- On average, 600 people die from AIDS each day in South Africa
- 21.5% of the entire South African population is living with HIV. This is among the highest infection rates in the world
- The HIV prevalence rate among pregnant women is currently estimated at 27.9% nationally and 27.1% in the Eastern Cape
- 250 babies are born HIV positive each day in South Africa
- Average household income in the Eastern Cape is $1,300 per year, or 7,800 rand per year. The provincial unemployment rate is 32%
- Because of the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, the average life expectancy in South Africa is expected to drop to 36.5 years by 2010. It was 68.5 years before AIDS
In wake of these statistics, there will be thousands of orphaned children in the years to come in our service area. The need is there, and unfortunately, grows every day. |
Meeting This Need: |
To help meet the need, Open Arms Home provides love and security to the children in our care. We live by our biblical motto: "Whoever welcomes one child such as this in my name, welcomes me.” (Mark 9:37) |
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