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Ethembeni Care Centre, established with the assistance
of six local industries in 1999, has for some time been
the flagship HIV/AIDS initiative of the ZCBF. However,
it became clear early in 2002 that the substantial
expansion of the project was required, as its 12 bed
capacity had become hopelessly inadequate to meet the
pressing needs of a community in crisis.
Simultaneously, Mondi Kraft approached the ZCBF with a
veritable dream come true, the offer of Amangwe Village
in Kwambonambi, previously used by their contract
workers. Mondi envisaged the renovation of the
substantial facilities there to be used for a major
development initiative, to more holistically meet the
needs of adults and children infected and affected by
HIV/AIDS. |
Tel.: +27 35 5804504/5
Fax: +27 35 5804506 |
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A feasibility study was conducted, and extensive
consultation with other NGO’s working in field of
HIV/AIDS was undertaken, resulting in a project design
that aimed to holistically meet the needs of adults and
children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Amangwe
Village would be made up of three core categories of
interventions: an expanded Ethembeni Care Centre
(in-patient and out-patient care); OVC (Orphans and
Vulnerable Children); and Outreach, Education &
Training. The project would be a partnership driven
initiative, with the goal of uniting the numerous
HIV/AIDS related organisations in the area, and co-ordinating
their approach to dealing with the virus, making use of
the strengths of each in a co-ordinated way to maximise
their overall impact.
Characteristically, the local business community rose to
the challenge of providing funding for the necessary
infrastructural development of the property donated by
Mondi Kraft, and the development of Amangwe Village
began. Today Ethembeni Care Centre is well established
in its all new 45 bed facility at Amangwe Village, which
also boasts a training room, administration blocks and
16 renovated cottages which are used for a variety of
services, and even income generation for Amangwe Village
and its project beneficiaries.
Important working relationships have also been
established with amongst others, the Africa Centre for
Population Studies and Lifeline Zululand, while
extensive networking with other important stakeholders,
and government departments is ongoing.
Services available at Amangwe Village:
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In-patient and out-patient care and counseling for aid
and private patients
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Voluntary counseling and testing (VCT)
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HIV/AIDS information talks and workshops
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Peer
Educator training
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Integrated HIV/AIDS in the workplace programmes
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Access to HIV+ guest speakers
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Crèche for vulnerable children
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Toy
library providing resources for rural day care
facilities
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Services for OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children),
including counseling and temporary foster care
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Amangwe Village also has a fully equipped training
facility and on-site accommodation available for rental |
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Ethembeni Care Centre
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Ethembeni was originally established as a result of an
initiative by the occupational nursing staff of BHP
Billiton Aluminium (Hillside and Bayside Aluminium),
RBCT, RBM, Mondi Kraft and the NPA (National Ports
Authority) in an effort to address common problems
encountered in dealing with HIV/AIDS infected employees.
These industries pooled their resources and funded the
establishment of Ethembeni Care Centre as on off-site
resource for their employees. Through its outreach
programmes, Ethembeni soon became an invaluable resource
to all community members, providing services not only to
HIV/AIDS patients, but also sufferers of other terminal
diseases, TB and victims of industrial accidents.
Professional staff at Ethembeni offer rehabilitation,
convalescence and terminal care, HIV testing, pre and
post-test counseling, family counseling, lifestyle
management workshops, and medical consultations as part
of their out-patient, in-patient and community care
services. The Centre is also registered with the Board
of Healthcare Funders (BHF) which affords it the
opportunity to generate much needed income by offering
services to medical aid patients.
Ethembeni Care Centre is managed by the Dream Centre. |
Nursing at the Ethembeni Care Centre
Serene, tranquil setting for Ethembeni Care Centre
Home Based Carers |
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Orphans and Vulnerable Children
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The Primary objectives of this arm of Amangwe Village
are: the protection of children, their inheritance and
property rights; improving the capacity of primary
caregivers to meet the basic needs of the children in
their care; ensuring the self-reliance of care-givers;
and ensuring that traumatised children are dealt with in
a professional and holistic manner.
Much of the focus during the first year of operation has
been on the building of a database of orphans and
vulnerable children in the area. Children who are listed
on the database are monitored, and are first in line for
assistance when funding, and other donations become
available.
The training of peer educators and teachers (crèche,
primary and high school) to identify OVC and adequately
address their needs, or provide them with information
about resources available to them, has been identified
as a priority. In addition, monthly meetings are held
with community members, local government departments and
NGOs, to develop child care committees within various
communities charged with assisting child headed
households. Two such committees have been successfully
established Sokhulu and Slovo informal settlements. |
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A highlight of the OVC portfolio during the past year
has been the establishment of a small RBCT funded crèche
at Amangwe Village, for use by vulnerable families. The
crèche provides daily care and educational stimulation
for 17 underprivileged children from the nearby rural
community of Sokhulu, and plans are underway to expand
the facility. RBCT also funded the establishment of a
Toy Library which is used to conduct workshops and
training with rural crèche teachers, and provide them
with resources on a loan basis, for use in their rural
schools. In this way the portfolio aims to assist
community based facilities to themselves provide
adequate care and stimulation to children in their care.
Generous funding has also allowed for the renovation of
4 houses to be used as temporary foster care facilities.
Two of these are already occupied, with foster parents
having been screened in accordance with Department of
Social Development requirements. Each foster house can
provide temporary care for up to four children at a
time. Amangwe Village assists foster parents with
applying for child grants to look after the children
while plans are being made for their permanent
placement. The priority is always to place the child,
wherever possible, in their natural environment, either
with extended family members, or screened foster
parents.
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Outreach, Education and Training
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Through outreach, education and training initiatives,
Amangwe Village aims to achieve three main objectives.
Firstly, the portfolio provides services to communities
outside of the confines of Amangwe Village through its
Home Based Care Programme which comprises 25 well
trained volunteer carers who daily visit poverty
stricken households to assist in caring for critically
ill loved ones. During the course of their visits, these
dedicated individuals also pay attention to such
essential issues as monitoring the progress of pregnant
woman, infants and small children – ensuring that, for
example, vaccine schedules are adhered to and looking
out for signs of malnutrion or any other potential
problems. The Home Based Carers are an essential
component of the Amangwe Village mix, effectively
operating as the eyes and ears of the Amangwe Village in
the community. |
Activity Scene from a World Aids Day event
held at Amangwe Village |
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Secondly, this portfolio aims to assist affected
families with income generation through skills training
and support of community based projects. Initial work in
this area has centered primarily around the establishment
of rural food gardens to provide produce for a centrally
based Rural Health Food Store, which is soon to be
opened at Amangwe Village – thanks to funding from RBM.
An on-site catering facility has also been established,
which is managed by a community member who has been
trained for the purpose.
Finally, the third objective of this portfolio is the
generation of income for Amangwe Village itself through
the delivery of workplace HIV/AIDS programmes to the
businesses in the region. To this end a valuable
partnership has been developed with Lifeline Zululand,
and the two organisations are currently jointly looking at
ways that these services can be offered to members of
the Zululand Chamber of Business. |
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