The Nata AIDS and Orphan Trust will use donations from its website www.natavillage.org to improve the lives of the 5,500 community members in Nata, Botswana as well as the surrounding remote villages of Manxotae, Sepako, and Maposa. The Trust will support people and programs that assist the 400 Nata orphans and people living with HIV/AIDS. We are committed to improving the health of all villagers and will support the Nata Clinic and Mabogo Arts and Culture Productions (a group that provides HIV/AIDS education).  (Watch MABOGO sing!)

Additional objectives of the trust are:

1. Allow website readers the opportunity to witness first hand the battle to control the spread of HIV/AIDS in a remote African village.

2. Reduce village poverty by using the website as a marketing tool to promote cultural tourism

3. Assist Nata businesses by giving them exposure on the internet

4. Promote a zero transmission lifestyle

Long term goals of the trust are:

1. Build a youth activity center which would provide support to Nata’s orphans

2. Build a support center for people living with AIDS

We have already had a positive social impact on the village. As we grow, the impact on the community will grow. We will continue to encourage people to live openly with AIDS and help to reduce stigma and discrimination. Since the birth of the website, record numbers of people are living openly with the disease and many are willing to share their stories with the world.

WHAT WE NEED:

 

 

The website was designed at no charge by Jon Rawlinson, a Canadian, who was traveling through Nata and offered to help the village. Jon has since signed over the ownership of the website to the Nata AIDS and Orphan Trust. We need technical training on how to manage the website. Jon continues to be available to us via the internet and is our volunteer webmaster but we need skills in Nata. We also need our own office, phone line, and office equipment. We need assistance in marketing our site to reach the greatest number of people.

Location