Care for the Carers
by Elaine Herbert on 02/18/18
Our Community Assistance Programme (CAP) was launched in March 2014 and from its inception to this day has been funded entirely by the Umckaloabo Stiftung to whom we are very grateful.
Through CAP we have been able to steadily increase our efforts to help strengthen the capacity of families in our neighbouring villages to support orphans and vulnerable children. Currently we are assisting 20 families who are supporting 46 children.
These families are identified with assistance from the Chief and Councillors working together with Mants’ase Children’s Home management.
Caring for children requires a lot of energy and if a guardian is not well, this will impact negatively on the quality of care they are able to give their children. Any health problems they may have, and these may include high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and/or TB, need to be properly diagnosed and treated. It is equally important that they have a healthy diet with all the nutrients they need to be able to take prescribed medications effectively and maintain their health.
We believe that concern for the welfare of those who take care of children is essential.
Through CAP we ensure that these families (the guardians and their children) have access to quality health care services. We provide food for each family, to supplement the food that they have. And we ensure that these children are enrolled at school (at preschool, primary school or at secondary level), that their school fees are paid and that they have school uniforms.
Mants'ase staff visit these families regularly to show them our support, to find out about any problems they may have, to check that the food we have given them is being used as intended and that the guardians are providing proper and loving care for their children.
And we would like to take this opportunity to thank the guardians very much for the way in which they have chosen to express their appreciation, by visiting Mants’ase Children’s Home two days a week to help with the laundry - this is great help - and helping each other to grow more vegetables. Wonderful!
Below: Keyhole gardens
