In June 2009 Maureen du Toit (Ambassador GIP) and Margi Kirschenmann (PR manager GIP) visited a project for orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa, the Alexandra Child Care and Support Centre.

We went to Alexandra to find out what the psychosocial needs are of the children and how we could help them. It soon became clear that their problems cannot be handled in isolation from the problems of their caregivers or the environment they live in.

'Because of my status' is a film about the children at the ACCSC and their caregivers, about the living conditions in Alexandra Township and about the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS.

BECAUSE OF MY STATUS   PART 1:                                   BECAUSE OF MY STATUS   PART 2:

Production: Global Initiative on Psychiatry
Narration: Maureen du Toit
Cinematography: Margi Kirschenmann
Editing: Oliver Boekhoorn
Length: 13 minutes
Subtitles: English

With thanks to:
The Alexandra Child Care and Support Centre
Noah Foundation and Goodwill Qushwana
Investec Bank and Simone Rawlings
Red Cross in Alexandra Township 
Women and Men Against Child Abuse
Big Shoes
University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
And all the people we spoke to
Special thanks to Leseho Manala and Bob Aardewerk

This film was produced through the financial support of the European Union and NCDO.

GIP promotes humane, ethical, and effective mental health care throughout the world and supports a global network of individuals and organizations to develop, advocate for, and carry out the necessary reforms.

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