This region has a HIV/AIDS population of over 210,000 with an infection rate of over 12%. Nairobi has a HIV/AIDS population of over 175,000 with an infection rate of over 16%. [2] There are over 730,000 AIDS orphans in Kenya resulting from the HIV/AIDS crisis.  According to the U.S.Census Bureau/UNAIDS.  UNICEF estimates, the number of Kenyan orphans due to AIDS will increase to 1.5 million by 2010. (2)  Kenya has been able to demonstrate a clear tend of decreasing HIV prevalence over the past several years. During the past three years, critical HIV services have been scale up. As a result, general awareness and knowledge for HIV transmission are nearly universal.

City: Ganta, Liberia
Project:  School - Hope Academy
Partner:  Hope for the Nations
Number of Children: 582 students (currently)

Hope Academy provides education to over 580 impoverished children in a rented facility.  Be A HERO has partnered with Hope for the Nations to complete construction of their new, 15 classroom facility that will eventually facilitate education for 1000 children. Another vital component to this Hope Village is Mercy House, which cares for severely malnourished children, feeding and providing medical care until the children regain their health and can return home.

Recurring drought, flooding during rainy seasons with 5 inch plus thick mud that regularly closes roads and makes it virtually impossible to move around, water pollution from urban waste such as sewerage and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching, just a few of the challenges the Kenyans face each day of their life. To face having to drink water that you can visibly see disease floating in is an everyday reality, a bottle of water is a luxury they can not imagine.

Ref: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ke.html

City: Davao, The Philippines
Project:  Orphanage
Partner:  Jesus Loves the Little Children
Number of Children: 68

Jesus Loves the Little Children was established out of a deep conviction to meet the needs of the orphaned, neglected, abandoned, and/or abused street children in metro Manila. The vision is to rescue hundreds from the streets to be cared for and loved as one's own. JLLC's goal is to establish a children's home that will become self-sustaining through networking, resource mobilization, and micro-enterprise projects.

City: Poipet, Cambodia
Project: Orphanage
Partner: Cambodian Hope Organisation
Number of Children: 48

Cambodian Hope Children’s Home will become a place of refuge for orphans, street children and those rescued from the sex trade. A full residential facility is planned including dorms, a school, and a vocational school – a safe home where a bright future can begin.

City: Bujumbura, Burundi
Project: Childrens Home
Partner: Children Rescued in Burundi (C.R.I.B.)
Number of Children: 48

C.R.I.B was founded in 1993 by Christine Chapman, a registered nurse and midwife from Great Britain. She originally went to Burundi to establish a maternity clinic and dispensary. After three years, war broke out, and Chrissy started collecting babies that had been left to die on garbage heaps. C.R.I.B. now cares for 48 children in their own facility which includes a school, and a secondary school run out of rented premises.

North Americans you can sponsor these children

City: Uberlandia – Minas Gerais, Brazil
Project: School
Number of Children: 185 in the first year

By modifying an existing building, and constructing eight new classrooms, 185 children who currently have no access to school will be able to start their studies. 185 children who live in extremely impoverished conditions will be admitted for kindergarten (ages three to five) and first grade (age six). The school will also provide meals and snacks, recreational activities, and adult education in computer, English, and Spanish.

City:  Chang Mai, Thailand
Project:  Home and Training
Partner: Hope for the Nations

This program helps young single mothers-to-be with antenatal and postnatal live-in care. Once the mother and baby are thriving, HFTN then provides education and vocational training for the girls so that they can provide for themselves and their babies to break the cycle of poverty.

The silk items in the HEROShop come directly from the girls in the HFTN program in Chang Mai. The profits go directly back to the project to help other disadvantaged young mothers and their infants.

City: Manila, The Philippines
Project:  Computer Installation & Community Centre
Partner:  Salvation Army

Be A HERO supplied and installed eight computers at the Tondo Salvation Army to enable people in the Tondo community to receive free vocational training in computer skills.

City: Manila, The Philippines
Project:  IT Program - Orphanage
Partner:  Salvation Army

Be A HERO supplied and installed computers for the children to learn computer skills.  The 38 children who currently live at Joyville now have an opportunity to learn skills that will take them into a future with HOPE and EQUALITY.

Joyville are also planning to run a vocational training program for the surrounding community.

With the growing number of street children and children at risk in the Philippines, there is a need for the provision of alternative safe accommodation.

City: Nyahururu, Kenya
Project: Dairy Farm
Partner: Heroes of the Nation

The dairy program is in place so that the children and staff have fresh milk and also to allow for the sale of the excess milk to the community – generating an income for Heroes of the Nation to be able to sustain caring for orphans.

City:  Nyahururu, Kenya
Project:  Medical Clinic
Partner: Heroes of the Nation

The medical clinic will be open to the surrounding community as well as the school’s residents.  The clinic will be available 24/7 with on-call staff.

HOTN has received donated medical equipment and supplies from hospitals and medical facilities, with commitments for future shipments.  The government has also committed to pay for one doctor and one nurse to work part-time at the proposed medical clinic.  Once the clinic is operational, we hope to have the assistance of doctors and nurses that visit as part of our “Hero Holiday” program.

City: Nyahururu, Kenya
Project: HERO FM
Partner: Heroes of the Nation

This program is to benefit the community through education and awareness, among other things. Heroes of the Nation has obtained a radio and TV license and building of the station house commenced in July 2008.

City:  Nyahururu, Kenya
Project: Dining and Community Hall
Partner: Heroes of the Nation
Number of children: 516

There was a lot of new construction at Heroes of the Nation in 2006, enabling more orphaned children to be accepted into the Home.  However, more children = more strain on the existing infrastructure, which must be upgraded to handle the ever-increasing numbers of children.

The dining hall has enabled the children to eat together sheltered from the elements.  It is also be used for school assemblies and other large-group activities as well.  The cost to build the new kitchen, and the dining hall is $50,500.00 USD.

City: Nyahururu, Kenya
Project:  Water and Sanitation
Partner:  Heroes of the Nation

In 2006, $27,000 dollars was raised in Australia to purchase a further 4 acres of land to build a sewerage treatment plant and water storage facility that will serve the future growth of Heroes of the Nation for up to 1000 children.

Heroes of the Nation have also used the extra property to grow much needed crops and to build facilities for the dairy cows program.