HIV-911 - Bringing hope Through Connection
HIV-911 is a referral network of health and welfare service providers which spans the entire South Africa. The referral network lists comprehensive information on 12 000 health and welfare service providers in each province. Listed service providers include care, support, prevention and treatment facilities and the HIV-911 programme prides itself on actively connecting members of the public and relevant organizations.
In the buildup to Mandela Day 2012, HIV-911 was approached by a number of companies to find a suitable charity to support. Each company provided HIV-911 with a brief to connect them with a charity to support for their 67 minutes, in honor of Mandela Day. HIV-911 was able to isolate suitable service providers, non-profit and community organizations in need of support, within the companies' chosen geographic area.
We are glad to have been of assistance to companies looking to support worthy charities for Mandela Day. The HIV-911 Programme exists to bridge the gap not only between the public and provider, but between providers themselves and the companies that wish to support them.
The HIV-911 team were also honoured to spend their 67 minutes revamping the Mavela Hospice in Ndwedwe. Joined by the local office of the South African Police Services, the combined team painted and provided new mattresses for the hospice. The Hospice is run by the women of the Mavela Project and was founded a number of years ago with the support of World Conference on Religions for Peace (WCRP).
The Mavela Project consists of a hospice, home-based care programme, orphan care program, several community homes for abandoned children and a community creche supporting more than 150 orphaned and vulnerable children, many from teenage mothers and child headed households. HIVAN and WCRP joined in the fun this morning and wish to sincerely thank the SAP for their generous support and efforts to make the hospice a good environment for the local people who are being cared for there.
While the hospice was being revamped, the patients were relocated to the adjacent community hall, also built by the Mavela Project, where they were actively included in the Mandela Day celebrations as the hall doubled today, as a place for relaxation and refreshments for the patients, SAPS staff, Mavela team and community members.