Workshop for Home Care Givers

According to the latest available figures there were 450,000 new cases of Tuberculosis in South Africa. in 2014. More than 60% of them were HIV positive. Pulmonary Tuberculosis and HIV infections remain by fare South Africa’s biggest health problems and are the leading cause of death in our country.

Group of Home Care Givers from Lomanyaneng
Group of Home Care Givers from Lomanyaneng

That’s why we dedicated this years Home Based Care Workshop of our Action Group Tlamelang again to these immense challenges. This seemed even more appropriate as this year we had 16 new Home Care Givers from Lomanyaneng who joint our organization only in April 2016. In addition there was a request from the Non Profit Organization Kenole Home Based Care to allow 14 of its members to attend the training. They had formed their organization last year to help the patients in their disadvantaged community of Lekung Village near Masutlhe (some 20km outside Mahikeng). In the end only six of their members attended the workshop because the others were not able to pay the registration fee.

In total 58 Home Care Givers participated in the workshop that was held from 04.07 to 08.07. 2016 in St. Joseph’s Retreat Center that is located next to Tsibogang Centre.

Due to our financial constraints we could not pay for the accommodation in St. Joseph’s. Participants had to travel from their homes on a daily basis. Those who came from far were requested to stay with relatives of friends in Mahikeng who were paid a small allowance for their inconvenience. Three of the Tlamelang members were requested to buy the food and to prepare the meals throughout the workshop. With these saving measures we managed to limit the expenses for the entire workshop to R 42,000.

Itsholeng Moepi discussed with the participants all questions related to HIV testing as our organization since the beginning of this year has been conducting a number of HIV Testing campaigns that are set to continue even during the months to come. These campaigns target especially the orphans and vulnerable children that are registered in our organization as well as their parents and guardians.

Group from Masutlhe
Group from Masutlhe

Dr. Wolfgang Oratile Hermann taught about all aspects of diagnosis and management of Tuberculosis in adults and children as well as about the new treatment guidelines for Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART). The Home Care Givers realized again that they can play a crucial role in encouraging the patients to finish the six month of TB treatment and to adhere to their ART.

As many of the workshop participants are involved in one of our six After School Programs we decided to add a second focus: Tlamelang Committee members presented ten demo lessons for HIV prevention that can be taught to the children attending the After School Programs. In addition six new lessons on child protection were presented that deal with children’s rights and protection from abuse that also target the children in the After School Programs.

Despite the cold weather conditions the participants followed all presentations and the bible studies that were held in the morning with keen interest. 51 of the 58 participants passed the test they had to write on TB diagnosis and management. Those who did not pass were given the opportunity for an oral examination as the reason for failing was that they could not understand the written questions well.

The closing function was full of words and songs of thankfulness from the Lomanyaneng group, from the participants from Masutlhe and from the old members. All of them gave a firm assurance that they will use what they had gained during this workshop for the good of the orphans, the vulnerable children and the patients.

Wolfgang Herman

Workshop for Home Care Givers
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