This project is offered to people in our communities that have the passion and desire to care for the sick and the needy. We prepare these individuals to take care of themselves first, in order for them to able to care for others. "Care of the community is care by the community". Promoting a culture of caring in our communities, as caring is sharing and sharing is caring. Started this initiative in March 2001 offering it in churches and community venues in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth. Since 2010 at Famhealth Medipark trained 2,650 Care Givers.
What skills and resources were you able to draw from the community for this project?
Good interpersonal relationships were built with the different race groups, enabling me to understand their different cultural backgrounds. Many Nursing Homes, Frail Care Centers and NGO's have partnered with us and now serves as practical components to the Care Givers.
The challenges
To empower and educate and to increase employ-ability for the unemployed. To reach out to the poor, sick and needy people in our community.
Addressing the challenges
+/- 80% of Care Givers trained, are employed at present. Some of them working at Private Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Private Patients in the setting of their own homes. The Life Skill component of the course has enabled others to work in other secular institutions like Banks, ect. Some of them have gone into studying Nursing and are now qualified Nursing Professionals. Others furthered their tertiary education at colleges and universities. One lady went to Medical School who is about to complete her medical studies in the next year or two. Some do voluntary work, and assist at their Local Clinics.
The achievements
Many people came from outside the City, Uitenhage, Humansdorp, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Lesotho and Nigeria. Since last year areas outside of Port Elizabeth has been opening for the course to be offered in their areas. We have been traveling to Humansdorp, Kareedow, Coldstream and Platternberg Bay. There is a definite testimony from the Care Givers that they all underwent a Spiritual Transformation and a new outlook on life and people.
Token Project / Move One Million
Johannesburg, South Africa