ANNUAL REPORT LIVING HOPE COMMUNITY CENTRE 1 APRIL 2004 – 31 MARCH 2005 Introduction We intimated that the 6 months report was the quiet before the storm because of the delays in the building of the Hospice. This was indeed so and this financial year was particularly busy with the building and opening of the Hospice. Staff shortages made work even more difficult but we were grateful for the King of Kings Baptist church releasing Pastor John Thomas the chairman of the Trust to the project for three months. He undertook many duties to allow the office to cope with the work load. Important events during the year were: Building, equipping and opening of the Hospice Acceptance of provisional application and proposal for funding from President Bush’s Emergency funds for AIDS relief (PEPFAR) The start of Home Based Care in 2 new areas, Muizenberg, and Red Hill The completion of the House in Ocean View The provision of 2 teachers for the Children’s ministry The creation of an office for the teachers in Masiphumelele Baptist Church The enlargement of the staff establishment Prayer support from Fish Hoek Baptist Church The resignation of Barbara Robertson as manager and the appointment of Dr. James Walker . Hospice Power construction tender was formally accepted and building commenced on 20th of April. Construction was completed and the building officially handed over on 9th October. Mr. Graham Power from Power Construction was extremely helpful and was able to make significant savings on the tender price and in addition passed on to us part of the profit made on the building. The Metropole Region of the Department of Health through Dr. Fareed Abdullah and Ms Brenda Smuts were generous in supplying finance for the equipping of the building. The building was officially opened by Minister Pierre Uys from the Department of Health on the 27th November 2004. Pastor John Thomas delivered the sermon and in the dedication of the building we all gave thanks for Gods loving provision and for the generosity and assistance by many during the building process. The inability to provide two major services (oxygen and laundry) in December, reluctantly caused the Trust to delay the acceptance of patients till the 3 rd January 2005. The first patient was terminal but came to know the Lord before passing on a day after admission. By the end of March there was an average of 10 patients in the ward. Operational funding was provided through the Global fund and supplemented by Province. From the new financial year we will receive R205.00 per bed per day. Ocean View The major work on the Ocean View House has been completed and the upstairs flat is occupied and brings in a monthly rental. Furniture is being supplied and it is hoped to open a branch office in the new financial year. A community committee has been formed under the Chairmanship of Pastor F. Abrahams and the members are keen to assist in establishing and promoting the work of Living Hope in their village. 1
Muizenberg The Muizenberg building was fully paid for before the hospice was opened. We praise the Lord for His perfect timing and that all the buildings are now debt free. Rehabilitation work in Muizenberg continues and the numbers of street people are declining. About 60 people are receiving a midday meal through donations of groceries provided by Checkers and other concerned Muizenberg residents. The Kitchen is now being supervised by Kathy a rehabilitated street person. Craft work continues to be taught and profit on sales from the small shop in the front of the building helps to cover some costs. Health work has expanded and will be discussed under Home Based Care. Sunday church services, daily devotions and individual counselling have resulted in many changed lives. Drug and Alcohol abuse continue to be major problems in the area and need much prayer on how they should be tackled. Spiritual Ministry The spiritual ministry has grown over the year and the numbers of HIV infected people referred for spiritual counselling has increased. Pastor Nobuntu counsels an average of 40 patients a month. In additions she does homes visits, conducts devotions for staff and for the support groups. She has started weekly home visits with the Home Care Supervisor in Red Hill, an informal settlement situated in the mountain slopes above Simonstown. This is an untouched area in which many HIV infected people are living. Until recently no services were provided to the area and roads are rough tracks through Pine Trees. Individual counselling offers Nobuntu the best opportunity for sharing the gospel message and devotions in the support groups and for staff enables her to help build up Christian staff and clients. The work is increasing and there is an urgent need for a male chaplain. Children’s Ministry Two teachers were appointed to oversee the Children’s ministry in Masiphumelele. Four sessions are held for different age groups on a weekly basis during school terms and the teachers continue with Bible teaching, nutritional support and fun. We look forward to them being further trained in life skill ministry. They are both very enthusiastic about their work and are doing valuable home visits to the homes of troubled children in their clubs. They have been able to identify and assist in homes with orphans, ill parents and family violence. A Christmas party was organized and funded by HCJB in the USA. Over three hundred children in Masiphumelele and Ocean View enjoyed a wonderful time of fun and games, a Christmas message and lunch. All the children were able to go away with a gift. Thirty eight (38) needy students at Ukhanyo School were provided with school uniforms. The children were thrilled and for the first time started to concentrate on their school work A small office for the teachers was provided and equipped in the Masiphumelele Baptist Church. A telephone and wireless link has been connected. Special thanks goes to Anne Mackellar who in spite of her PRO work kept the children’s clubs operating, organized the clubs, found volunteers to assist and to make sandwich for each afternoon. Numbers increased and attendance became more regular. Public Relations and Report Writing People continue to visit Living Hope and Anne Mackellar continues to be involved in a wide range of activities from thank you letter writing, newsletter & proposal writing, introducing many people to the work at the centre, Living Hope presentations, keeping in touch with overseas and local friends and churches, organizing meetings and generally promoting the work. Of the 14 proposals she has written 7 have been accepted and for several we are asked to apply again. Over 300 visitors have been taken on biweekly tours of Living Hope during the past year and this does not include 2
visiting teams from the USA. The work done by these visiting teams continues to make a valuable contribution to Living Hope. We were sad to see the Johnson family return home to the United States in time for their children to return to school and college. We would like to thank them for housing and caring for the needs of visiting teams and for help in so many other ways. They will continue to promote Living Hope in the States. Support Groups A second support group for young HIV ladies has started and Pastor Nobuntu has spent much time nurturing them. There are a regular 20 ladies who attend weekly meetings to share fellowship with one another, learn how to live positively and to study the word of God. Several have been able to share their HIV positive status with their partners and others in the community. This work is led by Nobuntu and Skolweni one of the Lay Counsellors. Job Creation through Craft Work Two volunteers Cindy Styles and Shelly have continued to make cards, cushion covers and other craft articles which they have sold locally and overseas. They have both had to leave to care for their new arrivals. Congratulations to both Moms - their little ones are doing well. Anne Eames has taken over the craft work and they are producing bead work which is popular and is selling well mainly in the States. Visiting teams act as agents and take stock home with them. They undertake to sell these goods to interested members of their churches. To date Anne has recovered costs, paid the workers and provided regular donations to Living Hope. She hopes to extend this work in the coming financial year. Food support A team of faithful men from St Margaret’s Church continue to buy and pack over 60 to 80 food parcels a month. These are distributed to HIV infected and neglected elderly clients. Special emergency parcels are provided to those referred to us. A small parcel of fortified porridge and vitamin tablets are given monthly to needy HIV/AIDS clients. Garden Project Our vegetable gardens are cared for by 2 dedicated gardeners. They provide fresh vegetables for more than 20 HIV clients. In addition they will be supplying fresh vegetables to the Hospice. Health Work 1. Community Health/lay Counselors The counselors continue to feel a sense of isolation due partly to the nature of their work and because staff shortages have prevented them having closer supervision from Living Hope. They are now, since January, having regular fortnightly debriefing sessions from our Social Worker, Mrs. Jess Ollis. They are finding these sessions valuable and are able to work through their problems. They would like more supervision, help to better plan their weekly work and assistance in their personal growth. This need must be rectified in the coming year. Funding from PAWC for this last year was received in November and the proposal for further funding for the next financial year has been accepted. Over 1650 clients were counseled before and after voluntary testing at False Bay Hospital and Masiphumelele clinic and a further 515 follow up counselling sessions were held. They continue with Home Visits (621) translating for Doctors (643) and education sessions in the clinic on HIV/AIDS and Sexually transmitted Diseases. 3
2. Home based Care Home care is provided in Masiphumelele and Ocean View and provides care for over 120 clients per month. There continues to be a difference in the type of patient cared for. In Masiphumelele the patients are younger and many are suffering from AIDS related illnesses while in Ocean View they are mainly geriatrics with chronic illnesses. Dressings are done in both local clinics but in Masiphumelele the numbers are significant, 2643 for the year. Treatment of scabies is ongoing, and dressings for boils, wounds and burns form the bulk of the service provided. The clinic has at least one Carer and a volunteer on duty in our Living Hope clinic. It is supervised by the Masiphumelele HBC Registered Nurse A new development was possible when a proposal to the European Union was accepted. It allowed for the appointment of another Co- ordinator with two Carers in the Muizenberg area and one in Red Hill. The staff were appointed and an existing Carer post was transferred to Westlake to be supervised by Muizenberg. This has allowed Living Hope to extend its work into three new areas. Work is progressing well and numbers are building up. Administration The office staff worked under great stress for most of the year as work loads increased. At times there where only two on duty with some temporary help. Illness of two staff members further added to the workload. In spite of this staff managed and all essential work was carried out. This included the equipping of the Hospice and the appointment of staff and the payment for the Hospice building. Special thanks go to the Chairman Pastor Thomas, Pat Lock who kept the books, Richard Jackson the Board Treasurer, Dalene Gobey and many others. With Hospice funding two additional administrative staff (Financial Manager, and Human Resource Officer) were appointed. With the retirement of Barbara Robertson as manager we appointed and welcomed Dr James Walker as the new manager in February. After a two month period of overlap he took on the new load in April. It will be an exciting time as the project now enters a new phase in its development, moving from pioneering to a structured and independent organization. Special tribute was paid to Prof. Barbara Robertson at the Hospice opening for the critical role she has played in the establishment of Living Hope Community Centre and in developing it to its current status. (Our deepest thanks go to Prof. Barbara Robertson for her unstinting giving of herself to Living Hope Community Centre for 5 years) The acceptance of the PEPFAR proposal is an exciting development that will have a major impact on the area as it will concentrate on the prevention and education aspect of our HIV/AIDS work, HBC and Hospice Care. The staff establishment will be further increased. The significant resignations were volunteers Pat Lock and Barbara Robertson and Michele Watkins for health reasons. I would personally like to thank Pat and Michele for their love, support and faithful work. They were of immense value to me and the office. A list of Staff as at 31 March is attached - Annexure 1. The financial statements as at the end of March are attached in Annexure 2. They will be replaced when the complete Auditors statements are available
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In conclusion I would like to thank Pastor Thomas, the Trust and staff for all their love and support over the years that I have been involved in Living Hope. The Lord has blessed the work and taught us many lessons. He will continually lead you on as you remain united and walk His way Barbara Robertson Retiring Manager June 2005
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