I arrived in KwaZulu Natal for a few days' visit to Zamimpilo Orphanage. I was excited to be down here, to see the wonderful things that YOU and the Josh Groban Foundation are making happen through your generosity.

It was a busy and tiring few days (and it's HOT down there!), but I got alot accomplished. Things are cooking out there! I arrived on appliance-shopping day! We had an electrician busy upgrading the electrical service at the orphanage building...which was sorely in need of upgrading! The fridge, chest freezer and electric stove were delivered the following day. I brought tears to the eyes of Faith, the very hardworking director of Zamimpilo, by showing her our web site at the US consulate today and trying to help her understand this wonderful group of people from across the ocean who are caring so much about her and the children.

Here's the progress report on what your dollars are doing:

• We hired an electrician to upgrade the wiring in the bulding, which had been very shoddily installed and was quite unsafe. We also added circuit breakers and outlets to accomodate the new appliances.
• We purchased an electric stove, refrigerator and chest freezer and put to IMMEDIATE use!
• The shower building which we're constructing on the outside of the orphange building is nearly complete! It houses four stall showers and two sinks for the washing of babies, clothes. etc. This is going to make keeping the children clean SO much easier, since there is only one bathtub and a few tiny sinks inside the building. This, in turn, will make it much easier for the kids to play outside and get dirty the way children do! We also purchased as many towels as could fit in the back of the car.
• The ground has been cleared and leveled on the site of the new playground that we're building. Construction will begin soon.
• The gymnastic mats have been ordered and will be delivered to the orphange in mid-March. This will give the kids over 1000 square feet of comfortable, cleanable padded sleeping space.

It was so exciting to see the progress that's been made at Zamimpilo, and the volunteers are so thrilled and grateful to you!

I must tell you that there were some very emotional aspects of this trip for me. I was taken to visit an AIDS hospice, where 25 people lay emaciated and very near death. Their children played outside the building, soon to become orphans, too. I also learned about a few facilities that are housing orphans that are better equipped than Zamimpilo, and I learned more about the incredibly large numbers of orphaned children that have NOWHERE to go when their parents die and they just live on the streets or do child labor to feed their younger siblings. I learned that parts of the province of KwaZulu Natal have a 75% rate of AIDS infection, which means that there will only be more children orphaned as time goes on.

The South African social welfare system as it currently exists is totally unable to cope with the situation. The more time I spend at Zamimpilo, the more I am convinced that we really are helping to save this group of 86 kids who would have had absolutley nowhere else to go. Faith and the volunteers are so committed to caring for these kids, but they are doing it on their own with very little support or funding. You are REALLY making a diiference...bless you all!!!!

Cheers.....................Andrea