Centre for Positive Care (CPC) started as a dream in the mind of an American who was to later renounce the worldly lifestyle, embrace Buddhism and become a monk. In 1993, Harold Lemke, along with some of his friends, mooted the idea of setting up an organization that would focus on HIV and AIDS.
Harold lost one of his dear friends to AIDS and soon found that there was very little information about HIV and AIDS available to people living in Venda. The community seemed to be uninformed about the pandemic. This led to the formation of the organization.
Mashudu Madadzhe joined Harold in 1997 and later the same year, Albert Mmbidi also came on board and together they started working within the communities of Vhembe district, providing information on STIs, HIV and AIDS, teaching about safer sex and distributing condoms. Raising awareness was the primary focus of the organisation at that time. All three were working as volunteers as there were no donors to fund the activities of the organization. Commitment and the motivation to make a difference in people’s lives was the driving for which sustained the organization during these formative years.
Slowly, as people started hearing about the organization, they wanted to join as volunteers as well and the organisation grew in strength. In 1997, the organization decided to formally register with the Department of Social Development as a Non Profit (NPO) and Non Government Organisation (NGO).
Centre for Positive Care 