Mon 30th January 2012

COMPASSION SHOWN MORE THAN 14,000 TIMES IN EMBO!

In the past year, our Partner’s 8 full time and 6 part time Home Caregivers have made 14,675 visits to those suffering through HIV/Aids and their families. With an average of 294 patients each month, the Caregivers’ team has battled through extreme poverty, atrocious living conditions and adverse weather to bring compassionate care and hope to a community where HIV is an everyday part of life.

Throughout 2011, clients have received one visit a week on average. The Caregivers have ensured that 171 people have been tested and subsequently placed on anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs). At the same time, the Caregivers have had to face the fact that they lose clients who have left it too late to be tested, sometimes because of fear or stigma but sometimes because of an inability to afford the transport costs involved in visiting the nearest clinic at Bothas Hill. 125 people with whom our Caregivers were working have died during 2011.

The majority are thriving however. Increasingly, people in the community who witness the loving work and understand the educational message are coming forward for testing and given hope, not just through the drugs that lengthen life but through transforming friendships with their Caregivers.

One of our most experienced and much-loved Caregivers – Lillian Dlamini – has been quite ill with gallstones but has recovered from her operation in November and is back working with her clients. Lillian has the most clients and makes the most visits almost every month, though she had a quiet December by her standards!

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