About Us
Mercy Aids is a Christian-based organisation started in 2004, prior to ARV treatment, primarily to address the needs of children and families impacted by HIV/AIDS. With the increased effectiveness of ARV treatment, our focus broadened to look at all vulnerable children and their families.
We registered as NPO in 2014 in the category:
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Development & Housing > Economic, Social and Community Development > Social Development.
In 2015 we were approved as a PBO with Section 18a Tax Exemption status for the following activities:
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The care or counselling of, or the provision of education programs relating to, abandoned, abused, neglected, orphaned or homeless children.
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The provision of poverty relief.
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Community development for poor and needy persons and anti-poverty initiatives.
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The prevention of HIV infection, the provision of preventative and education programs relating to HIV/AIDS
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The care, counselling or treatment of persons afflicted with HIV/AIDS, including the care or counselling of families and dependents in this regard.
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Currently we do most of our work in Fisantekraal and Mfuleni. We have worked in Fisantekraal since 2004, though what we have done has changed over time. We first worked in Mfuleni in 2006 but left after the home we were involved in closed down. We returned in 2024 when we heard that one of the children from the home was running programs we could assist with.
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​We specialise in practical compassion, motivated by love.​
Managing the tension
Within community development work there is always a tension between what are termed ‘charity’ and ‘development’.
Everything we do carries the desire to see people lifted out of poverty - financial, social, and emotional, and thriving. We do more than ‘hand out’ food or other assistance, but we do “feed the hungry” and “clothe the naked” simply because they are hungry or naked.
Our food relief is primarily done through community-led kitchens or feeding schemes - where neighbours are helping neighbours. The kitchens we support are meeting some basic physical needs while creating a sense of belonging and inherent value that opens a door to change.
It takes a community
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​We collaborate with others to facilitate broad-based support for children and families.
Our aim is to promote and support individual and family thriving – physical, emotional, relational.
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Our projects and programs are in one of the three categories shown below which fall into two broad and overlapping categories of Fostering Care and Food Security.
Fostering Care
Food Security
Support & Training
Food Growing
Food Relief