Bishop Simeon Trust

The Highveld Anglican Board of Social Responsibility

The Highveld Anglican Board of Social Responsibility (HABSR) is the Bishop Simeon Trust’s largest and oldest partner, and is the social care ‘arm’ of the Diocese of the Highveld. Headed until recently by the Rt. Rev. Bishop David Beetge, HABSR has overseen the emergence of about 70 community projects, in both urban and rural areas, many of which are focused on alleviating the effects of HIV/AIDS. HABSR cares for people in need irrespective of gender, race or religious affiliation.

Examples of the projects initiated and/or overseen by HABSR can be found in this section (see Bambanani, Ithemba Lethu, Khayalethu, Kwasa Centre, Osisweni, Othandweni, Rebologekile, Rutanang, Rural Home Based Care Projects, Siyaphila, St Vincents, Tshepo Hope and Voluntary Counselling & Testing).

HABSR also provides (with support from the Bishop Simeon Trust) various ‘cross cutting’ services of benefit to more than one project, such as hardship funds, food parcels, training for caregivers, and a small number of bursaries for students in need.

HABSR Key Objectives:

An holistic HIV/AIDS programme which will include: education, prevention and HIV awareness; home-based care, project management (handover and ownership by community); care of orphans and vulnerable children; voluntary testing and counselling; provision of ARVs and adherence counselling.

Care of the Caregivers programme (training and support for carers).

Orphans and Vulnerable Children’s programme, involving the recruitment and training of up to 300 ‘advocates’ to mentor and support children who have lost parents to HIV/AIDS. After the first three years of this programme, about 20,000 orphans had been helped.

Support to people wanting to start their own small businesses.

Wellness and nutrition programme.

Early Childhood Development and Adult Basic Education and Training.

Care of the aged.

In addition to project finance, the Bishop Simeon Trust also supports some of HABSR’s overheads, to help the Board pay for certain staff. Currently the Trust provides approximately three quarters of HABSR’s annual budget.

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