When extreme poverty affects a large proportion of the population, as in South Africa, health is predominantly affected by lack of access to the basic requirements of life such as nutrition, vaccinations and good schooling. Today in South Africa more than half of all children live below the poverty line, and with South Africa experiencing the largest HIV/AIDs epidemic in the world, one third are affected by HIV.

Although South Africa has made some progress in reducing maternal and child mortality, the challenges faced due to poverty, HIV, and the shortage of health care workers have significantly limited this, and access to healthcare remains unequal. 70% of children continue to die from preventable causes of death including pneumonia, HIV, TB and diarrhea. Half of all children dying are HIV positive, 34% have severe malnutrition and 30% are underweight. Poor infant feeding practices, nutrition, and challenges with immunization coverage continue to jeopardize the health and development of babies and young children. Our nutrition and 1000 first-days programmes, static and mobile clinics are fighting everyday against preventable mother and child deaths, even within the remotest of communities.

In one of our remotest communities, the distance from healthcare facilities meant most children were not fully immunized, many mothers lost children to diarrhea, and HIV treatment was scarce. With our funding, a permanent Health Point now operates in partnership with the government's Department of Health. Open five days a week and staffed by three nurses, it provides medication and primary healthcare services, including child nutrition, maternal health, sexual and reproductive health, dentistry, immunizations, mental health support, HIV testing, chronic medication distribution, and acute care to over 400 local patients each month.