Key 3: The family has access to sufficient family resources

Different programmes focus on different activities depending on the needs and priorities of the local community. Some of the self-reliance activities are described below.

Encouraging families to grow their own vegetables is a very important step towards self-reliance, particularly where there are HIV positive or terminally ill family members in the household.

SOS Children's Villages offers support by providing the basic inputs required to start a food garden, such as seeds and tools. The family must secure land and water for the garden, as this picture from Ennerdale shows.

Members of one of the very successful "self-help groups" in Pietermaritzburg generate income for their families by making fabric softener and selling it in their community. They also make and sell small tubs of garlic vaseline, which is very effective in treating skin rashes, especially those affecting HIV positive people.

With initial funding from Canada, a very successful bead project was started in Nelspruit. This project has been particularly successful because of Nelspruit's focus on tourism - many international tourists visit the area which is close to the Kruger National Park.