Dedication and belief are community's lifeline

By Patricia Delaney

So, what exactly do you do when you retire? Well, actually you can suddenly find the freedom to explore possibilities not previously open to you, due to the demands of a young family and a career.

A friend sent me a cutting from Saga Magazine outlining the work of the charity 'People & Places'. One of the options that attracted me was the prospect of working overseas. I would have the opportunity to use existing healthcare skills and give back a little of the help and encouragement I received in the past. To be brutally honest, the idea of being based in an hotel, with all the care and attention usually given to Saga travellers, also appealed. I have found over time that I much prefer not to rough it if I don't have to.

On arrival at Johannesburg, I met up with a fellow volunteer who would be my co-worker at Missionvale Care Centre. We travelled on to Port Elizabeth together, where we were met by the Saga rep and taken to the very comfortable hotel which would become our home for the next four weeks.

The next day was devoted to orientation, with a quick introduction to the local language, Xhosa, and the local customs. An interesting language which I found quite difficult to pronounce, although I managed a few words such as 'molo' and 'enkosi' ('hello' and 'thank you'). The most interesting thing to attempt was the use of clicks with the tongue, which denoted a change in vowel sound (and therefore meaning) as well as to punctuate sentences. My attempts caused much good natured hilarity, but fortunately English is the main language taught in most primary schools (Afrikaans is also spoken and people – especially children – switch happily between them according to need).

We were taken to Missionvale and introduced to the care team. Missionvale is in a predominantly Xhosa township near Port Elizabeth. The township consists mainly of temporary dwellings about 10–12ft square, which may be divided into two rooms. These homes have no electricity or running water. Fuel for cooking, lighting and heating is paraffin; water is fetched from a standpipe. Chemical toilets are situated outside the homes and are shared by all families. The toilets are a rubber bucket construction which are emptied approximately twice weekly. Poverty, disease (predominantly TB and HIV), malnutrition and unemployment are high; many families have lost the main breadwinner to disease, childcare being taken over by the older generation. There are no transport links and the sick have to walk (or are carried by neighbours) for treatment.

Missionvale is the lifeline for most of the inhabitants. It is a charity and is totally funded by donation. The dedicated staff team work with very limited resources (the main painkiller is paracetamol and that is scarce); nursing care is provided on an acute and outreach basis; weekly food parcels are taken to the sick, and one nutritious daily meal (half cup of enriched soup powder and half a loaf) per family is provided.

When thinking about Missionvale and the overwhelming poverty of the area, it is important not to lose sight of the many strengths of the local people. For example, there is a deeply-held belief in the concept of 'ebunto' ('I am because you are' – and if every there was sociological theory in a nutshell this was it). The community is deeply supportive of each other, no blood relationship being necessary, to the extent of sharing any food that there was available – and there was very little available in many cases. It could be heartbreaking when carrying out a health assessment to find that the person not only had an actual problem but that, for example, the headache was in all probably due to not having eaten for some time.

As a volunteer, my role developed during the stay and eventually involved visiting the community members in their shacks to carry out a health assessment. This would then enable the newly-qualified care givers to carry out basic nursing care – palliative in most cases.

It was humbling to be allowed into the community and accepted by them. When the time to leave arrived, the staff and healthcare-givers held a farewell party for myself and my co-worker. I found it very difficult to leave as it truly felt as if I were leaving behind part of my family.

I heartily recommend volunteering – I know that I received much more from it than I gave. And, yes, I would do it again, but perhaps for a longer period next time, if other commitments allow.

If anyone out there would like to volunteer, the main thing you will need is to be flexible and prepared to work with given resources, rather than the resources you wish you had, or expected to have. Not that this should stop you from trying to fund-raise when you can.