Mfuleni Zolile Malindi Community Centre
Two years ago Nelisa Sojada, a 47 year old woman, was hopelessly lying in bed sick. She was at death’s door, stuck in a house that was running out of food, with four hungry children to take care of single handed. One of the children was her late sister’s 15 year old son, Nkosinathi. It pained her to think that she might die leaving the children without anyone to take care of them. Without money or food to keep her taking her medication, life became a real nightmare.
In her own words, she describes the day when Afrika Tikkun’s home-based caregivers knocked on her door as the day when she saw herself being lifted from the grave she felt she was slowly creeping into, with her eyes wide open. The visit brought hope for her to fight her illness as the home-based caregivers added her to Afrika Tikkun’s food register. She also started getting support in taking her medication from Afrika Tikkun’s Primary Health Care staff. Eventually she became stronger and saw a purpose in holding on to life and slowly her health improved thanks to Afrika Tikkun’s support for her and her children.
The Social Worker assisted her in applying for the Child Support Grant and also a Foster Care grant for Nkosinathi. After regaining her health she was still out of work and decided to volunteer at Afrika Tikkun’s kitchen as a way of giving back to the community. A post was advertised for an ECD cook and she was encouraged to apply for the job as she already had experience and has a heart for the cause. Nelisa was successful in her interview for the job and has since been employed as one of the new ECD cooks.
“Because of Afrika Tikkun”, she says, “I am now able to take care of my family. I can now look forward to the day when I can witness my children’s success and play with my grandchildren. This was the hope of living I had lost before, but through Afrika Tikkun and its supporters I have hope and can now take care of my family. Ndiyabulela (Thank you in Xhosa)
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