Tias Arms

Provide shelter and care for children with HIV/AIDS in South Africa2025 was our most successful year of fundraising in Tias Arms history. Thanks to our donors, we were able to distribute approximately $170,000. In 2025, the hard-working board and dedicated volunteers organized two fundraising events: our annual tea party and our third jazz event. These ever-popular fundraising events ensured we could once again distribute funding to our seven sites in South Africa.Never-Never LandNever-Never Land Full-Service School has been a most beloved site supported by Tias Arms since its early days. The school is situated in an impoverished township near the town of Howick and provides not only tutorship, but also provides the only meal of the day for most of the children. The school also facilitates a HIV/AIDS outreach program which helps the children with HIV receive the requisite care and monitoring. The school's library, funded by Tias Arms, continues to grow from strength to strength. Never- Never Land school now has eight grades and Tias Arms continues to fund the teachers' salaries and the balanced, nutritious meals, grown in the school grounds, which the children enjoy every day. Tias Arms has watched the children grow from strength to strength. In 2025, Tias Arms purchased a new vehicle to transport the children. Scholarship ProgramIn 2024, Tias Arms launched its first ever high school scholarship fund to support some of the seventh graders leaving NNL school. These gifted and diligent students have been with Tias Arms since they were toddlers, and with the support of our partners and our funding, they have excelled in learning throughout the years. Deserving of a good high school education, the graduating students have each been sponsored by a generous donor here in the United States for the duration of their high school years.Howick Pre SchoolTias Arms continued to support preschoolers from the surrounding villages near Howick. This early childhood education gives these children the head start they need. They also enjoy a daily cooked meal. At St. Josephs, the children learn English as well as the essential skills and learning that will prepare them for public school. The high number of children infected with HIV are lovingly cared for by the staff of Midlands Hospice. Tias Arms augments this noble work by providing high caloric meals for the children in need. Monthly analysis of their weights and wellbeing is an essential component of ensuring we are succeeding in our mission. Tias Arms also pays for the salary of the hospice social worker and healthcare worker. Both of whom navigate the psychosocial challenges of HIV infection and AIDS. Khazimula is currently home to 23 children and youth between the ages of 2 and 20. These children are all at different stages on their healing journey depending on when they first arrived at Khazimula, with their spirits broken because of the trauma, abuse, and loss they experienced prior to being sent to Khazimula for nuturing care and protection. Tias Arms proudly supports Khazimula, helping them with residential care, education, school uniforms and psychotherapy, including sand play, and Marimba lessons.Homes for Kids in South AfricaFirst opened by the Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Tias Arms continues to support HOKISA in their vast work of caring for children who have been traumatized in unsafe and poverty-stricken environments in the Cape province, South Africa. Based in Masiphumelele, HOKISA uses our funding to assist in the provision of housing, school uniforms, therapy, and education. In the compassionate, stable environment of this children's home, children can heal and thrive. Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS (GAPA)GAPA was formed in the township of Khayelitsha to address the needs of grandmothers who had lost their sons and daughters to AIDS, many of whom were left to care for their orphaned grandchildren. Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS has recently had more and more grandfathers join the network of senior self-help groups. Today, over 600 seniors across Khayelitsha belong to the organization. Out of the seniors' concern for the safety of their grandchildren, an aftercare program was started in 2008 and continues today. Over 100 children between the ages of 5-13 are cared for and fed at our center daily. One of eight vital sponsors, Tias Arms helps support GAPA by continuing to provide seeds for their vegetable gardens and nutritious meals for the children.