Helping Hands

About Helping Hands

2006-08-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

Helping Hands was created in 2001 by University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) employees working in Zimbabwe. Seeing the devastation of the AIDS pandemic and its impact on Zimbabwe's children, they began to collect donations for food. What began as a small feeding program has now grown into a multi-site effort providing meals to nearly 1,000 children each day.

Helping Hands is 100% volunteer-run. Local volunteers purchase and cook each day's meals. UCSF employees raise funding and awareness of the program and the needs of the children. With each child's meal costing only a few pennies, your contribution can go a long way towards helping to keep these children healthy. PLEASE DONATE TODAY!

Who We're Serving

2006-08-17T16:58:00.000-07:00

Zimbabwe has one of the most severe HIV/AIDS epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa. Since 1990, life expectancy has decreased from 61 to 34 years, the shortest lifespan of any country on Earth. It is estimated that by 2010, more than one-third of the children in Zimbabwe could become orphans as a result of AIDS. Over 160,000 children in Zimbabwe experienced the death of a parent in 2005. Coupled with this is the dire economic and political situation in Zimbabwe. Currently 83% of the population is unemployed. Since 1990, the under-five mortality rate has increased by 50%.

The feeding program currently operates in 9 sites near Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. About 20,000 meals are served each month. In addition to the food served, basic medical exams and treatment have been provided at some sites and will eventually be expanded to all sites.

How to Donate

2006-08-17T16:29:00.001-07:00

Helping Hands accepts cash donations directly, or tax-deductible donations made payable to the UCSF Foundation (tax ID: 94-2829914). Please note the UCSF Foundation takes 4% of each tax-deductible donation for administrative fees. No administrative fees are deducted from direct cash donations.

To make a donation, please contact:

Helping Hands
UCSF Women's Global Health Imperative
50 Beale Street, 12th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
USA
Telephone: (415) 597-9163
Email: helpinghands@globalhealth.ucsf.edu

Recent Photos

2006-08-17T14:08:00.001-07:00

These boys are named Clever and Never:
A log is kept of the children served each day:

The meal typically consists of sadza (a traditional grain porridge), served with a stew-like sauce made of seasonal vegetables and a protein source, such as peanut butter, beans or dried fish.
All children clean their hands before eating:
A volunteer cooking the day's meal: