ABSTRACT
Orange Farm is recognised as one of the biggest informal settlements in South Africa. A combination of factors made Orange Farm appropriate for a localised study of health needs. The first was its location. The second factor was the size of the settlement and the consequent numbers of people affected by the socio-economic status of the area, and the impact of that status on health. The third factor was meeting people who lived or worked in Orange Farm who were keen to bring about positive changes in order to benefit people in the area. Lack of health facilities in Orange Farm was a well acknowledged fact. In addition to individual interviews, group discussions were held during which community members raised concerns about health and health-related issues. It was from these in-depth interviews and group discussions that the health needs of Orange Farm were identified.
