CHF Virtual Food Pak

Pieter Mazibuko is the third of five children and the only boy in his family. He lives with his mother, four sisters, his adult cousin, and her baby in the rural village of Xigalo, South Africa. His father works and lives in the city and, for a long time, had little contact with the family.

Pieter and his sisters all attend school, but Pieter lacks one important thing that will give him the opportunity for a successful future: a birth certificate.

Though Pieter was born in South Africa, his mother was a refugee from Mozambique. Because of this, Pieter and his two younger sisters couldn’t get birth certificates when they were born. This is a common problem in rural areas throughout Africa, and families often spend many years and lots of money applying for these documents. Without a South African birth certificate, Pieter’s mother cannot get a job that will support the family, leaving her unable to afford the basic necessities to care for her children—necessities like food.