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A dream came true on Friday 25 May when the Lamontville Thembalethu Care Centre was officially opened.
The centre has been a dream of Sister Florence Madlala since 1996 when the Lamont Health Forum was formed to identify health needs of the community. Sister Madlala and a dedicated team of doctors, care givers, teachers and social workers from the Lamontville community conceptualised the Lamontville Thembalethu Care Centre from which various health care programmes could run.
"The process to obtain a 20 year lease to the dilapidated municipal offices in Lamontville needed for the operation was long and difficult because the country was going through transformation and Councils were changing," says Sister Madlala.
"In addition, new plans needed to be drawn up to meet the Estates and City Engineers Departments requirements as the old plans could not be found".
Meanwhile the building was deteriorating as it was being vandalized, but there was nothing Sister Madlala could do. After several delays due to different councils needing to approve the project, the long term lease was approved in January 2005.
The original building was the covering and refurbishment work had escalated considerably. The Health Forum embarked upon a massive fundraising campaign. As a result of a friendship which had developed during 2001 and 2002 when two American missionaries worked in the area, Sister Madlala visited Massachusetts where the missionaries introduced her to organisations and members of the Catholic Church who donated funds for the refurbishment. Thereafter a drive was held to obtain material donations to equip the clinic.
Half way through the construction, Good Samaritans from Bethel Chrisadelphian Church visited to see what was being done. What followed will remain memorable, "a convey of cars drove down Mhlongo Road on a beautiful morning, into the gates of Thembalethu, a cross-cultural team of volunteers from Business Connexion with painting equipment and paint had come to paint the whole building. "In one and a half days the building was completed and looked beautiful. We were very touched by this gesture", continues Sister Madlala.
"We were approached to assist and didn't hesitate. Our staff willingly volunteered for the task and enjoyed two great days of team-building in the achievement of a good cause," says Will Heygate, regional chief executive of Business Connexion's KwaZulu-Natal Regional Office.
"Getting teams working together for the greater good is far more fulfilling than traditional corporate team-building exercises. Also the impact on the community was massive. The willingness of more affluent people to assist those who are less fortunate brings a very positive message about the future of this country. Although the clinic is now operating there will be an ongoing need for assistance and we are looking to giving further support to this worthy cause," concludes Heygate.
Other corporate companies also responded requests for support by donating mattress, bed linen, pillows, office chairs, a large table and filing cabinets. "This donation enabled us to start operations in January 2007", concludes Sister Madlala.
Poverty in the Lamontville community is so high that many people find it easier to obtain their prescription for anti-retroviral drugs than basic food. The drugs are so powerful that they cause potent side effects if not taken with a filling meal.
The Medicine with a Meal programme, which now operates from the centre, was established to provide HIV and AIDS sufferers with a good meal before drugs are taken. Sister Madlala also plans to educate people on how to live with illnesses like AIDS or TB.
Training on the care of the sick will also be given to family members. While at the clinic patients will have access to social workers and church groups for spiritual care.
These and other health care programmes will be introduced at the new centre so that as many members of the community can benefit from the work that commenced in 1996.
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