Author name: Robin Smith

NgoSuku Lomhlaba Lokulwa ne-AIDS, othisha abasemakhaya eMtubatuba bahlangana emcimbini wokufundisa ngocwaningo lwe-HIV, ohlelwe u-Oprah Winfrey no-Charlize Theron, kanye neMpilonhle. Uhlelo lwaluhloselwe ukufundisa othisha ngezinkinga ze-HIV futhi kuhlinzeka ngokuqeqeshwa kwamakhompyutha. U-Michael Bennish we-Mpilonhle ugcizelele isidingo sezinsiza eziningi kothisha. Abafundi bavela ukuthi abavumelani nokusebenzisa amakhondomu, futhi amantombazane aveza ukukhathazeka ngokuphikiswa kwabo.

Charlize Theron launched the Mpilonhle Mobile Health and Computer Unit in uMkhanyakude, a region heavily impacted by poverty and HIV/AIDS, as part of a joint initiative with Oprah Winfrey’s Angel Network. The project aims to provide crucial health and social support to local communities. Theron’s heartfelt involvement and dedication to her homeland were evident as she engaged with the community and celebrated the opening of the unit.

At the official opening of the Mpilonhle Project in Mtubatuba, US Ambassador Eric Bost announced a generous R8.45 million donation to support the initiative, which has already received backing from Charlize Theron’s Africa Outreach Project and Oprah Winfrey’s Angel Network. The project provides health services, HIV counseling, and computer education to pupils at four high schools in the Umkhanyakude District through mobile units. Charlize Theron, attending as guest of honor, emphasized the importance of local role models and expressed her hope that Mpilonhle would positively impact students’ lives, returning to witness their growth.

Charlize Theron celebrated the launch of the Mpilonhle Mobile Health and Computer Unit in northern Zululand, bringing healthcare and computer education to local schools. The project, funded by Theron’s Africa Outreach Project and Oprah’s Angel Network, offers HIV testing, counseling, and health education to students, with a focus on preventing HIV. Theron expressed her joy at returning home, while US Ambassador Eric Bost announced a R8.5 million donation from the US to expand the initiative to more schools in the area.

The Mpilonhle Mobile Health and Education Unit brings essential services, including HIV counseling, health talks, and computer literacy classes, to remote schools in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The project, launched in 2007 by Dr. Michael Bennish, is supported by celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Charlize Theron, and it currently operates six mobile units across the Umkhanyakude District. In addition to health education, Mpilonhle distributes food parcels to orphan-headed households and provides sports facilities and water to schools. Students have reported significant positive impacts, such as decreased teenage pregnancies and a greater sense of responsibility towards health and well-being.