Zisize – Home Based Care
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
– Galatians 6:9
The Zisize Home Based Care Project supports AIDS patients, orphans, and affected families in two rural South African communities through home visits, food parcels, medication, basic education, and Gospel outreach—reaching over 5,000 visits and 3,000 food parcels annually. Despite high HIV rates and limited local healthcare access, volunteers also lead annual community-wide AIDS education campaigns to raise awareness.
The Zisize Home Based Care Project helps to alleviate the suffering of AIDS patients and their families. There are two committees of dedicated community volunteers each having close to 20 volunteers The Mkhiweni committee operates in a remote, dry rural area not well served by any health clinics. The Ithembalethu project is in a more densely populated rural area. In both, the volunteers visit the homes of AIDS patients, orphans, and other affected by the epidemic by offering basic help by bringing parcels of food, basic education, medication, and the hope of the Gospel. In a year volunteers make over 5,000 visits and distribute over 3,000 food parcels.
Once a year both committees provide a community-wide AIDS education/awareness campaign. AIDS continues to be a subject that is not talked about much, despite the public service announcements on the radio, television and billboards. The rates of HIV transmission in this Zulu area continue to be the highest in Africa.
CRWRF is the only funder of the Zisize HBC projects, allowing for a coordinator to be paid and volunteers to receive a stipend.
Location
South Africa
Project Start & Partners
The Zisize Care Centre is operated by the diaconal commission of the Uniting Reformed Church in KwaZulu Natal.
