Juliana Timm is a lady who lived in Mendulo, Malawi, Africa. She had 12 children, of whom 4 are still living. Many of her children died of AIDS or AIDS related complications. When they died, they left behind their own children, which Juliana would take into her home. She died in 1997. In her family alone, there are 23 orphaned children! The idea behind this organization is something that was inspired by her life story. Attaining 501c3 status in May 2005 has allowed the Juliana Timm Children’s Fund, or JTCF, the ability to provide the resources to tackle this problem on a bigger scale than she ever imagined.
According to UNAIDS, Malawi is the 4th poorest country in the world. Malawi has been even further devastated by an eight year drought. These components exacerbate already numbing HIV and AIDS statistics. Organizations like UNAIDS, UNICEF, and AVERT’s conservative estimates put the total number of orphans in Malawi at 850,000-1.2 million, rising to close to 2 million by the end of this year. The HIV and AIDS pandemic is impacting Malawi at extremely alarming rates. With over 900,000 people living with AIDS, and an estimated 800,000+ of that population being between the age of 15 and 35 and dying at alarming rates, a strong generational disparity is being created in Malawi due those dying from this disease, an estimated 10 every hour! These numbers help to compose the Malawian population that consists of 17 and under and 35 and above. Of the orphans in Malawi, it is estimated that more than 900,000 are between the ages of 0-17 and have been orphaned by AIDS.
The high incidence of death caused by HIV and AIDS means that these children are left either to fend for themselves or placing an extra burden on the resources of guardians who often cannot adequately feed themselves. Though no statistics exist, components of poverty make it highly unlikely for a family member to take in an orphan due to already existing lack of resources. Children often turn to criminal behavior, especially sex work and stealing, to provide for themselves and their siblings. Because a 14 year old is considered culturally adult in Malawi, 14 and above often abandon their younger siblings in pursuit of jobs to help support themselves and their family, leaving children 13 and under without guardianship. With over 600,000 estimated orphans under the of 13 without supervision, something has to be done to preserve the quality of life for these children.
There are several organizations that exist in Malawi to provide food and to dig wells for a more abundant water supply. However, aid agencies responding to the food crisis and the HIV/AIDS epidemic say, "There is no danger of overlap. Everything is needed because the problem is so big." Though there are organizations providing food and water, a key component is missing for the orphans. This component is that of a loving home with a guardian to care for the children as if the children were their own. top
JTCF is aimed at providing a solution. JTCF will build houses where orphan children can live under the supervision of a lifetime guardian.
By providing the homes with a qualified parent-like adult from the community, JTCF is providing the basic life necessity of love, pride in culture and identity, and supervision. It is key for the guardian to be a Malawian from the community who can parent and encourage the children. Seniors are also a key component of this equation because of their wisdom and contribution to forming caring relationships. Because seniors are a vital and honored part of Malawian culture, each house would also house one or two seniors. This connects adults who understand the culture and the stigmas that are associated with being a Malawian orphan to children in need of nurturing relationships. Unlike orphanages in Malawi where the children age out at 13, by encouraging bonding relationships, JTCF homes will be homes where the adult(s) becomes lifetime parental figures. JTCF will coordinate with other organizations, including Glory Center International and Rotary International of Champaign and Savoy, to provide food and clothing to these anchor houses. Strategically placing these homes close to a school and a hospital provides access to an education and the need for medical attention. top
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