My Nonprofit Reviews

Hope for Limpopo is a remarkable charity. Very hands on, and very intimately involved with the organizations they fund, their directors take no money whatsoever. They work tirelessly with only a single goal: to make lives better. The two women who direct HfL's efforts make excellent funding choices, they choose carefully and use the wisdom gained from frequent trips to Limpopo Province, South Africa. Jo Ann has the added experience of Peace Corp time in the province--she provides in depth knowledge specific to the region's needs. I have visited 2 of the organizations they fund. Vhutshilo Mountain School is a wonderful place. It serves the very youngest children, all victims of the HIV crisis. I have watched it grow from a pre-school to a place that serves the early grades as well. I have watched as the teachers and the principal, an amazing woman named Suzi, took their mission further by drilling a well that the community has access to. They planted a garden, the kids take home produce to improve nutrition for their whole family, and the school feeds the kids 2 meals a day from the garden. They advanced from transporting the children themselves to providing a source of income to some men who took over that task and one was actually able to purchase his own school bus. He developed a route and even serves other schools. Vhutshilo Mountain School believes in the 'it takes a village' model and has taught an entire village how to look forward by caring properly for its children-for they are the future. Another place Hope for Limpopo funds is TVEP, The Victim Empowerment Program. Its director is a staunch advocate of the rights of women and children. She has empowered an entire team of very capable people--they teach women and children about abuse. They not only help the victims though, they also work intimately with abusers, teaching how to break the cycle and learn to treat others humanely. They help the victims of abuse by insuring the medical care is available. Secure, safe housing is provided for women and children in danger. They work through the foibles of the South African legal system to insure that the violence will not be repeated. They work very, very hard to educate people in the community about safe sex, violence, nutrition, family relationships and so much more. TVEP is a place that inspired me, a place that is flexible and adjusts to the needs of the people it serves; an organization that retains its nimbleness and good humor in the face of frequent bureaucratic red tape. I admire its director, Fiona Nicholson enormously. Hope for Limpopo is a truly great non-profit.

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