Overview
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.
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The Oscar-winning actress and philanthropist joined the uMkhanyakude community in northern Zululand to celebrate the launch of a mobile health and computer unit outreach programme on Thursday.
Pupils of Nhliziyo High School, in a deep rural area near Mtubatuba, could not contain their excitement when the movie star, dressed in traditional Zulu attire, mingled with them and hugged them after speaking at an open-air assembly of their school.
The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project and Oprah’s Angel Network have provided lead funding to create the Mpilonhle Mobile Health and Computer Unit, which will give pupils at four high schools access to nursing services including counselling and HIV testing.
This is in addition to computer education and workshops on health education with a special focus on preventing HIV.
Theron, who flew to Richards Bay unannounced earlier this week, told her large audience of pupils, community leaders and dignitaries – including US Ambassador Eric Bost – of her delight at being back home, saying that this country was “in every part of me”.
She said she had great success abroad but that seeing the pupils at the computer classes and their enthusiasm for the project had shown her the true meaning of success: giving back to the community.
“The hope is that we can make your lives and those of everybody in your community better,” she said. “This is a project I want to come back to, I want to follow.”
In a major announcement, Bost said R8,5-million had been awarded by the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) to support the Mpilonhle Project.
He said Pepfar would fund two additional mobile health units to expand the integrated HIV prevention, health and computer education services to between four and eight other high schools in the area.
