Bowy House (HIV/Aids children)

Bowy House (a home on Main Street, Central Paarl) provides sanctuary for the care and upbringing of HIV/Aids orphans from rural families throughout the Western Cape. It is the aim of Miqlat to provide every baby and child a safe atmosphere with 24-hour loving care through its trained staff consisting of a social worker (head of home), qualified nurses, manager, an educare teacher and trained care givers. The facility is owned by Miqlat, employs a staff of 17 and currently looks after 16 HIV/AIDS infected and affected orphans.

Bowy House has been in existence since 2002 and has been named after a young child who was cared for by Miqlat and who died of AIDS related illneses. Children in need of care are referred to Bowy House by the SAP, doctors, hospitals, social services and individuals. The Bowy House is in the line with the Blue Print Policy of Department of Social Services to cater for the best interest of the child. Bowy House does not currently receive any state funding, but it is in the process of registration as a private orphanage by the Department of Social Development.

Thanks to the love, nutrition and medical attention (including antiretroviral) provided to the children, their health is much improved. Those who have families remain at Bowy House until doctors are satisfied that their family members will be able to take care of them. Others remain at Bowy House for the rest of their lives, as HIV+ children are rarely adopted or fostered. The daily program at Bowy House includes taking the children for physiotherapy, visits to TC Newman and the Red Cross Hospitals, developmental and stimulation programs and indoor play during winter months.

There is also a satellite to Bowy House in Mbekweni which acts as a safe house for older HIV/AIDS children and other orphans, which we need to develop further to accommodate the needs of those children more comprehensively.