Love and Care aims to provide a safe, loving environment for the care of children whose families were affected by HIV/Aids and Tuberculosis. The aim and objectives of the project is to provide the children, many of whom are orphans or have lost a parent, with food, shelter, medical care, basic education, and love of course!
Victor Restis and the family foundation became involved when their friend Mr. Jannie Momberg – former South African Ambassador to Greece – moved back to South Africa once his ambassadorship ended. With a history of investing in humanitarian projects throughout the African continent, Mr. Restis immediately set forth to support Love and Care. Not only did Mr. Restis see the need of this compassionate non-profit, he also wanted to honor his late father, Macias, through charitable giving to programs targeting the care and education of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. With the support of the Restis family, Mr. Momberg and his wife Trienie moved to Fish Hoek, and the informal settlement Masiphumelele, to personally oversee the social projects of interest and to guide assistance on behalf of the Restis Family Foundation.
Love and Care is run by Aurelia Kaitesi, a Ugandan widow. She lost her husband in the Rwandan genocide between the Hutus and the Tutsis. Though the facility is quite basic, it provides the essential needs to care for children whose lives have been forever altered due to tragedy. Today, there is still much work to be done with ongoing formalization of educational programs, maintaining several agricultural projects like vegetable gardens, and ensuring that each child has what they need to flourish despite the obstacles they face.