background

                                                                                                          

TEL :( 011) 936 -7021 CELL: 079 098 2799

EMAIL: info@ithuteng.co.za , phinda@ithuteng.co.za, phindanhlapo@gmail.com  WEB: www.ithuteng.org

1.       INTRODUCTION and BACKGROUND

St. Joseph Ithuteng Campaign (Ithuteng) is a non-profit organisation that offers Home based care, educational programmes about HIV and AIDS, Drop-in-Centre for the orphaned and vulnerable children and Care for the aged programmes. The organisation consists of a group of young people who are committed. Ithuteng was founded on the 02 June 2000 by Fr. Bongani Sithole after a research was conducted to establish the need of the service around Meadowlands, covering 5 zones out of 10 zones with the estimated population of 13 8357.

The data collected from the home based care programme created a need to broaden our services in caring for the orphaned and vulnerable children and the aged by providing them with the holistic care and support.

2. MISSION

Our mission is to educate and care for the people living with HIV/AIDS, care for the orphans and vulnerable children and the aged, reduce discrimination and stigma and alleviate poverty.

We seek to do this by:

• Being actively caring for our beneficiaries
• Providing holistic care and support to people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS
• Providing referrals and link the community with available government resources within their immediate environment.
• Breaking the stigma and discrimination associated with people infected with the virus and encourage disclosure on their HIV status.
• Motivating families to care for the members who are infected and affected by HIV and AIDS.
• Encourage and promote community action and involvement on matters affecting orphans and vulnerable children; and
• Rebuilding the spirit of UBUNTU (humanity) and promoting values of community togetherness.

3. Overview of the Programmes

3.1The Home Based Care Programme

In pursuing our mission and objectives, Ithuteng renders Home Based Programme in the community of Meadowlands:

This programme was established for people living with HIV and AIDS so that they could be cared for within the environment of family kinship and support system.  This programme runs with one retired nurse and twenty (20) dedicated caregivers who work tirelessly attending the sick in their homes. We have to date on record 246 patients.

The key objectives of the programme are the.

• Provision of care and support to people who are home-bound and bed ridden.; and
• Provision of education on HIV and AIDS related opportunistic sessions for infections to family members;
• Referrals to clinics, hospitals and social services, when required.

Daily activities within this project include the bed bathing and administering of appropriate physical activity to promote blood circulation and eliminate the occurrence of bed sores. The feeding of patients who cannot do anything for themselves and to monitor and supervise medicine intake.

The care givers work closely with the family members to provide support to the patients.

3.2 EDUCATIONAL AND AWARENESS PROGRAMME

3.2.1 COUNSELING SERVICES

With the expertise of our care givers who are qualified counselors, we provide an appropriate response and intervention to emotional needs of the patients and those who seek our services.  We employ the help of social workers and Priest in our surroundings.

3.2.2 AWARENESS PROGRAMMES

Awareness programmes are conducted at schools and community centers. A wide rage of topics is covered and these include:

• STI’s and Prevention;
• Basic HIV and AIDS information, its stages, and treatment literacy;
• Sexuality and other relate issues

The main objective of the programme is to:

• Heighten and increase awareness around the dangers of HIV and AIDS and opportunistic infections.
• Use the opportunity to deal effectively with some of the widely held myths around HIV and AIDS

3.3 ORPHANED AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN DROP-IN-CENTRE

Data collected from our home based care Programme necessitated the establishment of the OVC Programme. This programme was a direct response to provide support and care to children left vulnerable and orphaned by HIV and AIDS.

Daily activity of this programme, children drop in the morning to eat breakfast and collect lunch packs which they take to school.  They come back in to the centre from school.  Children are involved in various activities, being assisted with homework, cultural dancing and singing, fun and educational games. Child-friendly and focused counseling is also provided as when needed

 There are services of a social worker who helps children with matters relating to social security benefits as well as placements to foster homes.

This programme currently serves 292 children and the number increases on regular basis.

3.3 CARING FOR THE AGED PROGRAMME

  

     Spiritual enrichment with the pastor          Extra mural activities                                        Aged programme Interaction with OVC          

                                                                                                               Programme

This programme is aimed at providing care and support to the aged. We have 48 residents in the old age home.

We provide the following

• Provision of  physical care,  Health education and spiritual support;
• Provision of accommodation and nutrition.
• Provision of technical assistance and support to those applying for services like social grants, burial covers etc.
• Provision of transport to and fro pension points, hospital and social services.

3.4 CARING FOR THE CAREWORKERS

We have 80 care workers who are working tirelessly on the different programmes who receive monthly stipend. Development programmes are made available for the care workers to deepen their skills and knowledge.

Quarterly debriefing sessions are conducted by professionals to care workers to provide them with emotional, spiritual support, appropriate and relevant intervention.

Week-end retreats are organised for the care workers to debrief and relieve experiences they go through.                                                         

They are also encouraged to take on developmental studies in areas of their interests.

4. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

Project Activity	Description	Means  of implementation	Resources	Means of Verification	Results
1. Home-based care 2. Awareness Programmes & counseling services 3. Orphaned & vulnerable children after care programme 4. Caring for  the aged	Home visitation to home bound  patients and educating the family members on how to look after the patients and assisting with social services Educational programmes on basic HIV/AIDS and it’s opportunistic infections Provision of psycho-Social support Assistance with social security grants and provision of material and safety nest for the children.  Provision of care and support to the aged people.  Nutrition and health care support. Assistance with accessing government resources.	A care giver needs to under go 69 days training Two weeks pre and post counseling Facilitation skills Intense training counseling training Child care trainings Children counseling skills Caregivers with 69 days training. Professional nurse	Human Resources Home based care washing material Debriefing sessions for the careers Workshop material Child minders Counseling tools Educational toys Professional staff Hand work material Bedding	Caregivers daily sheets Evaluation forms Monthly narrative and financial reports Attendance register Evaluation forms Progress reports : monthly, quarterly and annually Intake register  Individual progress reports	Improved and prolonged quality of beneficiary’s life. Well informed community about HIV/AIDS Alleviation of  poverty, well developed children, Have access to social security and groomed healthy children  Improved quality of life In a peaceful environment

5. Other Interventions and Achievements

In addition to the above programme areas, Ithuteng takes part on a number of significant HIV related events e.g. World Aids Day, and uses such opportunities to increase the awareness around its work and to bolster further community participation and involvement.

• In the past years we have had ±600 patients who benefited from our Home Based Care programme; some have met with dignified death as to our records.
• The Home-Based Care Programme has helped to identify the need for the programme that cares for the children and provide psychosocial support to the orphan and vulnerable children. Our response to this was the establishment of the Drop in-center, where they get immediate attention and nutrition and to date we have 365 beneficiaries.

• We have a child Psychologist who has volunteered to educate the management and the caregivers on on-going terms.

• With the help of our funders  we were able to train the caregivers on :

• Treatment literacy training

• Dealing with children after guardians/parents death

• Financial literacy

• In April 2005 we hosted Matt Damon the International Movie star, who took a tour around the programmes we are rendering and our beneficiaries.
• Annual awareness programmes that we have conducted like the Candle Light memorial, school’s awareness and door-to-door campaigns have promoted behavior change, positive lifestyle and disclosure as many of our clients have disclosed to their families.

• ±  3000 people in the community were reached personally in the awareness campaigns.

• 4 Senior Citizens in the home for the aged have been provided with the accommodation, nutrition and care.

·         We have attended yearly summit and conferences organized by the department of Health as well as the Department of Social development and the South African Bishops Conference. To broaden our horizons as far as our projects are concern.

·         We have formed a good partnership with schools around our area and have become their resource and referral.

·         Ithuteng was the best practice model for the year 2007 by the Gauteng Department of Health. We also hosted and shared our recipe of success with the SADAAC Countries.

6. CHALLENGES

Lack of funding and resource in most of our programmes has hindered us from delivering effective and efficient services in the following:

LIST OF NEEDS

Orphaned and Vulnerable children

• Transport ( Vehicle)
• Communication ( advanced equipment, internet facilities and office equipment)
• Land acquisition (Extension of the home for the old aged residents and to build a place of safety for the orphaned and vulnerable children.)
•  Blankets,  Fun and educational Toys and  Clothes,
• Shelter care renovations for Orphans and Vulnerable Children 

Home- Based Care

  Washing Material (Face cloth, disinfectors, mouth wash, etc.)

  Protective clothing for the carers (Gloves, Aprons, Hats, umbrellas or rain suits)

  Trainings ( Computer Skills , Entrepreneurial skills)

Old Age Home

  40 Beds and bedding (incl. bed wetting proof)

  Installation of electricity (PLUGS) for the wall panel heaters

  Washing Material (Face cloth, disinfectors, mouth wash, etc.)

  Entertainment activities (in and out -door games e.g. dominos, cheers, magazines and bowing etc.)

7. PARTNERSHIP

Community ownership and involvement is our key operating principles. We regard the community of Meadowlands as our key partner in implementing our programmes.

Of equal importance are following partners who support to ensure that Ithuteng work is sustainable:

• Department of Social Development- Gauteng Province
• Department of  health-Gauteng Province
• City of Joburg
• HIVSA
• Push Until Something Happens
• Mofolo Home Based Care
• Meadowlands and TB  clinic
• Sinqobile Clinic

8. PROGRAMMECAPACITY

Ithuteng is a voluntary Association registered as a non profit organization with the Department of Social Development. It is governed by a board made by the following people:

Name and Surname	Position held in the Board	Contact Details
Fr. Victor Ngwenya	Chairperson	(011)936-7021
Sr. Annah Tsotetsi	Vice chairperson of the board	(011) 936-7021
Mr. P.K Mbatha	Treasure	(011) 936-7021 082 772 8192
Mrs. Virginia Thabethe	Secretary	(011)  936-7021
Fr. Bongani Sithole	Additional Member	(011) 936-7021 072 7195 763
Ms. Lillian Radebe	Additional Member	(011) 936-7021

The Board meets on a quarterly basis and provides strategic direction to Ithuteng. All of the members serve as volunteers.

In addition to the board, Ithuteng has a group of young and dedicated people who are responsible for the programmes implementation.

The programme also has 80 Volunteers who help with the implementation of the programme.