AIDS Care
Community Health Visitation
Trained staff and volunteers visit homes of community members who are HIV positive, suffering from tuberculosis, or afflicted by other (sometimes undiagnosed) illnesses. They offer primary care, train relatives in how to safely and hygienically care for the ill, assist with referrals to local medical facilities, and provide therapeutic counselling to those facing terminal illness and social stigma. Often, a confidential and convenient HIV test can be performed in the home, sparing nervous patients the daunting prospect of sitting in a queue at a public HIV clinic.
HIV Support Group
Each week Seed of Hope hosts support groups for community members who have HIV. The groups meet together to share a meal, learn about their disease and how to stay healthy, and share their struggles and successes with other people who can relate with what they are going through.
People need to know that they are loved and accepted, no matter what their HIV status is, and these Support Groups provide a safe environment. The Centre also offers vocational skills training (sewing, traditional crafts, greeting cards, etc.) to enable group members, many of whom have lost work due to illness, to earn an income.
HIV Testing
A volunteer Registered Nurse provides HIV testing. Together with an HIV counselor, she provides education and information about hospitals and clinics for further care. Due to recent legislative changes, we hope that soon our own staff will be authorized to test, provide results and refer people to the appropriate support agencies under the supervision of a Registered Nurse.
Clinic Trips
Severe illness often proves an insurmountable hurdle for people needing to get to a clinic for tests, or to pick up medication. Seed of Hope staff provide referrals and arrange transportation for people to travel to hospitals and clinics outside of Bhekulwandle. These trips allow people to get medical treatment, drug specific counselling, and medication prescriptions that are unavailable in the local community.
Future Goals - HIV Clinic On Site
In 2009, Seed Of Hope became an accredited HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) site. While our operation is small, this is the first step toward realizing our dream of a full-time facility where community members can receive testing, counselling and medical support for HIV and Aids.