Working for P.I.N. Money
posted: 07/08/2002
Have you noticed the beaded HIV pin now being worn by many people? They were the very elite of pins on World HIV Day when they were worn by TV and Film celebrities.
The story behind these pins is interesting but poignant. Hand-made from tiny red and white beads, they originate in a township in rural Zululand. They are carefully crafted by grannies who care for their grandchildren orphaned by HIV. The money collected from their sale is distributed in the form of food, and other essentials.
In Africa over 12 million children have lost their parents to HIV, the majority of these in South Africa. The trauma the children suffer can leave social and psychological scars and their economic survival is a community problem which cannot be ignored. The best option is to try and keep the children with their grandparents who likewise are grieving for their adult children. This provides a secure and familiar environment and family continuity for the older generation.
When the P.I.N. Project started in 1999, concern and commitment were high, but resources were nil. It was decided to use the traditional craft skills of the older generation to produce saleable articles, thus generating an income as well as a profit for the welfare fund.
The beaded HIV pin was the chosen item also becoming the logo and title of the project. Based upon the Zulu 'Love letter', which is given as a sign of affection, the pin has many other symbolisms. In the language of beads, white symbolises the purest form of love; the interwoven red ribbon is the international symbol of support for people living with HIV and the safety pin symbolises the holding together of a torn and damaged family.
After 2 years the Project has grown from the original 6 grannies to over 60 women who have produced over 8,000 pins. It is now formally constituted, recognised as a charity and has an employee paid for by the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund. Many hundreds of children are now receiving help..
I was the aid worker, who was there at the birth of the project, and am now a volunteer at George House Trust. In 2000 I appeared at GHT's door asking for information on HIV. Now George House Trust is one of the main P.I.N. supporters acting as a sale-outlet for the pins and including them in its 2001 Christmas gift catalogue. This fits nicely with its theme approach of 'global crisis; global response.'
As a result of my travels for the project, talks and media interviews a support network has now been established with pins being sold from HIV Support Centres, Colleges, Schools, Churches, Oxfam, VSO, WDM groups and by many individuals.
Alice Searle
Alice has now returned to South Africa to visit the grannies and children and help extend the project to other townships. She will be back here in June to restock our 'pin bank' and again join the GHT volunteers.
If you have any comments about this, or other Insight articles, please e-mail <a href="mailto:insight@ght.org.uk">insight@ght.org.uk</a>
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