Johannesburg - The once lively and beautiful Nkosi’s Haven is slowly being reduced to ruins as it struggles to keep its doors open.

Gail Johnson told The Star that compared with 2001, when HIV/Aids patients had no hope of survival, donors no longer see a need to help affected mothers and children now that the virus is manageable and people seem more accepting.

“When Nkosi was still alive, the HIV virus was still new. Everyone was terrified of the disease and more especially the people that were infected, and as a result mothers and their children would be put out and some mothers would leave their children at orphanages,” she said.

“Life for people living with HIV/Aids was hard, and Nkosi and I started this project because we saw a need. Now the disease is manageable, people think that the needs of these mothers and children have changed; it is quite scary,”said Johnson.

The resident matron at the village said the situation at the home had gone from bad to worse over the years, and was even starting to affect the children as their diet has changed.