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Volunteering at Emmanuel HIV project
The document discusses the challenges faced by the Emmanuel Project in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, which addresses issues related to HIV/AIDS in a township with high infection rates. It highlights the difficult living conditions of caregivers and children, with funding challenges that often lead to unpaid labor and insufficient resources for the vulnerable population. The project provides essential services, including food, childcare, and support groups, aided by donations and emergency funds.
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Volunteering at Emmanuel HIV project
- 1. • A Taste of Township Life • in • Port Elizabeth • South Africa
- 2. South Africa –Some Facts • Population 49 million • Estimated 5.6 million people affected by HIV/AIDS • 1 in 3 women aged 25-29 • Over 25% of men aged 30-34 • Estimated 1.9 million AIDS orphans in SA (2009) • Incidence 40x higher in black population • This has skewed life expectancy to 49 years • Many grandparents (mostly women) bringing up children • Figures taken from Avert
- 6. The Emmanuel Project KwaNoxolo Port Elizabeth
- 8. Project Emmanuel • Focuses on issues caused by HIV illness • Feeds 200-300 vulnerable children daily • Provides a creche for 3-5 year olds • Sends carers on home visits • Holds various support groups at premises • Offers advice/support on HIV issues • After school club for orphans/vulnerable children
- 20. The Emmanuel Project KwaNoxolo Port Elizabeth
- 21. • Funded bySA Social Development Dept • Bureaucratic and corrupt • Families are the losers • There is funding to feed 75 children 40p per child per day • Food stretched to feed 250+ children • Staff have no access to transport • Sick people must walk 45 mins to clinic
- 30. • All carerslive in the township • Carers receive less than £60 per month • They work the first three months unpaid • Grant from gov’t to fund the project is paid 6 monthly but often is several months late • Carers work unpaid when money tight
- 32. • We haveset up an emergency fund to cover times when government money does not come through • Donations from the UK have helped with new container and also emergency fund so that the programme can survive
- 33.
Editor's Notes
- #2 NThank you for inviting us to speak to you this evening about our experiences in a South African project which focuses on HIV/AIDS issues. Let me begin by filling you in on how it all started.We volunteered back in 2009 through an organisation called Travel People and Places. TPP send you a questionnaire which they ask you to complete and return together with your CV. With this information they endeavour to match the skills and experience that you have to offer with one of their projects in the developing world. We sent in our relevant CV’s. I am a former district nurse and my husband is an accountant. They found us a project where we could both have an input. Volunteers pay all their travel, accommodation and insurance costs and make a financial contribution to the project that they work on. Volunteers aim to pass on their knowledge and skills by working alongside the project staff and often are asked to run workshops or teaching sessions to reinforce their practical work.
- #3 NTotal pop 49 millionSA pop described as white, coloured, Indian & blackEstimated 5.6 million people affected by HIV/AIDS1 in 3 women aged 25-29Over 25% of men aged 30-34Estimated 1.9 million AIDS orphans in SA (2009)Incidence 40x higher in black populationThis has skewed life expectancy to 49 yearsMany grandparents (mostly women) bringing up children
- #4 NThis slide is self explanatory. The poster was displayed in one of the huts at the project
- #5 PThe townships in PE house half a million people. Most have come from the countryside looking for work. However, when they arrive they find there is little opportunity for unskilled labour and they then become trapped..This is an informal township. People arrive and erect “make-do” shacks on open land. This then obliges the government to provide the occupant with what we would consider social housing.
- #6 NUnemployment is currently 60% in the townships
- #7 NThe project recommended as most suited to us was “The Emmanuel Project” at KwaNoxolo, Port Elizabeth – an HIV / AIDS project. This project is supported in South Africa by the Calabash Trust and to give you an appreciation of what they do we will now show you a short video.
- #8 PThis is “Homebase” where we arrived and were greeted each day. Describe site.N It takes a long time to both arrive and depart in KwaNoxolo because each person has to be hugged by everyone and welcomed with Molo (hello)
- #9 PThe video showed you the Ramaphosa project which is considerably more advanced than Emmanuel – which has the following key objectives. Focuses on issues caused by HIV illnessFeeds 200-300 vulnerable children daily (Without running water in kitchen)Provides a creche for 3-5 year olds(So parents can work/attend clinic appointment or give granny a break)(Approx 35 attended during our stay)Sends carers on home visits (Home visits conducted by unqualified carers. Vols frequently asked to conduct workshops etc to pass on knowledge)Holds various support groups at premisesOffers advice/support on HIV issuesAfter school club for orphans/vulnerable children
- #10 PThis converted container is the kitchen at Emmanuel. Note the two OUTSIDE sinks. I was asked to help secure another second hand shipping container to provide additional space to allow more room for a crèche. The money was available as it had been previously donated by volunteers from the UK “Easy” I thought but this proved not to be the case. I had to learn quickly about the used container market and gain an appreciation of “African time”. Part of my remit was to encourage the project manager to do this BUT not to do it for them. They had to own the problem and the solution!
- #11 NThe crèche is housed in a 14x8 ft garden shed with a corrugated roof.
- #12 NThere is no room for tables but each child has a chair. They love to sing and We spent some time teaching them new songs and learning some from them too!- Wheels on the bus.Each day we would be picked up at 7:15 and would arrive at Emmanuel around 8am. We would spend about an hour with the children whilst the teachers prepared their meli meal (porridge) and then there would be prayers and singing before we would go to our various attachments- Paul to the office and I with the carers. We would aim to be back by 1 o’clock for the feeding programme.
- #13 P-Each child brings in a pot of some sort. The deal is no pot, no food. Often the pot is a used margarine tub. These are frequently unwashed from the previous day’s dinner. Mama Aach knows every child and every receptacle!N-I was given the chance to help dish up on several occasions. This was quite a responsibility. You are keen to give all a hearty meal but at the same time don’t want to run out of food before the queue ends.
- #14 PMost public places display these dispensers..............................most are empty! Perhaps because they are used quickly or because they are not refilled.
- #15 NBecause HIV lowers immunity TB has become rife. This photo was taken in the local clinic.
- #16 PDespite all of this the locals know how to have fun. This photo was taken at a local shebeen (pub). The dancers wearing black are from the Xhosa tribe and those wearing white are Zulus.
- #17 PContainers are used for just about everything in township life (hairdressers, shoe repairers, mobile telephone rentals, community shops and funeral parlours etc)
- #18 PMama Aach runs the kitchen and works a miracle every day. She feeds a hot meal to upwards of 200 children with less than 10p per child.
- #19 NNobuntu is her assistant and between the two of them they run the kitchen. Nobuntu has Yonella (her fifth child) on her back. Yonella would be passed around the project to anyone who was free when her mother was busy chopping cabbage or washing up.
- #20 NWe all took turns in looking after Yonella. This was no hardship ................ Mostly we fought over whose turn it was next. Here she is in the care of “Tata” Paul. (The whole project called him Tata – father- and this was considered a term of respect.)
- #21 NThe project recommended as most suited to us was “The Emmanuel Project” at KwaNoxolo, Port Elizabeth – an HIV / AIDS project. This project is supported in South Africa by the Calabash Trust and to give you an appreciation of what they do we will now show you a short video.
- #22 PFunded by SA Social Development DeptBureaucratic and corruptFamilies are the losersThere is funding to feed 75 children 40p per child per dayFood stretched to feed 250+ childrenStaff have no access to transportSick people must walk 45 mins to clinic
- #23 PThis little one was pleased to show us her meal and was prepared to share.
- #24 NFruit was a rarity and not on the menu but we shared some apples from our packed lunches one day and almost started a riot!
- #25 PSome days the food ran out before all had been given some. This was the queue that was sent home on the day when we had fed 260 children. Nita is keen for you to know that this was not a day when she was in the kitchen. Note the date.
- #26 NThis is one of the little ones who was too late to get a meal. Note the footwear................not uncommon.
- #27 P OVC’s comprise the “After School Club”. They come along and have a meal if there is any food left and we’d help them with homework or just have fun with them. They liked to seek us out.
- #28 P Although still at school, it is not uncommon for many to be head of family or living with older siblings – no surviving parents or grandparents.
- #29 NWe found them to be a very proud people. There was washing everywhere- no problem drying it in the windy city! Here some of the after school kids wash out their uniform in preparation for the next day.
- #30 NNokwakha and Pumesa
- #31 NAll carers live in the townshipCarers receive less than £60 per month They work the first three months unpaidGrant from gov’t to fund the project is paid 6 monthly but often is several months lateCarers work unpaid when money tight
- #32 .P We have recently had this sent to us. Sadly we didn’t get to see the new container but hope to be able to return one day to see the further progress made.
- #33 PWe have set up an emergency fund to cover times when government money does not come throughThis currently will provide 2 weeks cover.Donations from the UK have helped with new container and also emergency fund so that the programme can survive