Friendship and Support through Harmony and Song

A partnership between four choirs in the UK, led by Musical Director Hilary Davies

and The Diamond Choir, from the Cullinan Diamond Mine, South Africa

Masibambane Home Based Care Program - Refilwe

Masibambane is a registered home based care organisation operating in Refilwe near Cullinan. The organisation was established in 2001 and currently has 28 members (health community workers) with a patient roll of approximately 100-120 with severe chronic conditions from TB, cancer, and mostly HIV positive.....

The services that the organisations renders in the community includes the following:

 Home based care services (physical & psychological) to patients and their family

Members.

 Provide supportive counselling to community and families of the affected persons.

 Educate the general community (including schools and the youth) about HIV/Aids.

Siyathemba Nokeng Community Centre

Siyathemba Nokeng Community Centre is a non-profit organization which focuses on children, youth and women based. The centre is based in informal settlement area called Phumzile Park in Rayton. With high rate of unemployment, HIV and AIDS, the objectives of the organization includes the following:

 Basic care of the abandoned, abused, neglected, orphaned or homeless children.

 Provide psycho-social supportive services to persons in distress.

 Provide palliative care to persons infected and affected with HIV and AIDS.

 The promotion and practice of Religious Faith and Religious family way of life style and encompassing acts of worship, witness and community services.  

Siyathemba-Nokeng Community Centre carries activities which are of philanthropic and benevolent nature. Always regard the needs, interest and well being of the general public etc.

Tshepong Centre For People with Disabilities - Refilwe

Click on the photos to see full size

Tshepong Centre for People with Disabilities was started by the late Rebecca Leeuw in 1996, after she observed the lack of care for the children with disabilities in the community of Refilwe. The centre caters for children with various disabilities with mostly suffering Down’s Syndrome disease. Currently the centre has 36 children that receive day-to-day care with more focus on basic therapeutic motor training and coordination.

Children with Down’s Syndrome disease tends to be slow with abnormal genes, mostly are kept away from mainstream school environment, Tshepong Centre provides new hope and warm environment for these children.

The activities includes self help training on:

- Personal hygiene, toilet training.

- Stimulation through art.

- Gross motor skills development

- Bead work, and

- Out door sports games.

Refilwe Tshwaraganang Old Age Welfare(Luncheon Club)

Refilwe Tshwaraganang Old Age Welfare is a non-governmental organisation formed by concerned pensioners in Refilwe community. The objective and goal is to create an environment where the elderly could establish a better and healthy lifestyle, and secure protective place for their activities. Some of the elderly are abused by their children and the community as they do not understand how they live and view life. The organisation has almost more than 100 members who come daily to the activities mentioned below at Refilwe community Hall.  

The project offers the following services:

-  Basic physical training and aerobics three times in a week.

-  Meals: breakfast and lunch

-  Food gardening at Tshepong Centre.  

-  Basic beadwork and sewing as part of recreational and vocational programs.

Refilwe Support Group

Refilwe Support Group was formed in 2008, as a result of high incidents deaths, and ever increasing rate of HIV and AIDS in the community of Refilwe. One of the challenges facing the community regarding people leaving positively with HIV and AIDS is stigma and negative perceptions about the illness. As such the support group was formed to address the infected, affected persons / families and the community on the following challenges:

 Acceptance of the illness

 Di-stigmatization and disclosure to partners, family, friends and the community

 Normalisation of the illness and paradigm shift

 Psycho-social support services to both infected and affected with HIV, including other chronic illness( diabetes, TB, Hypertension, etc)

 Creating opportunities for a new life values and principles.

Refilwe Orphan Care –Feeding Scheme

Refilwe Orphan Care was established in 2007 by Evelyn Matlala, one of the community members who contributed to the establishment of Masibambane Home Based Care back in 2001. As the number of HIV/AIDS related deaths increased in Refilwe, it was evident that Sizanani Welfare Organization was not coping with the number of orphans and vulnerable who needed immediate care.

The centre is based at Tshepong Community Centre and works closely with Sizanani Welfare Organisation in intensifying strategies to provide safe and comprehensive care to the children in need.

Refilwe Orphan Care provides the following services to almost 80 children on daily basis:

 Provide a referral service point to identified orphans – Sizanani

 Provide after care services to the children and assist with school home works.

 Provision of afternoon daily meals for child headed families

 Link children with department of Social Development for registration of child care grants

Facilitate extra recreational activities to empower children with coping mechanism.

REFILWE AGRICULTURAL PROJECT

Provides low cost food for people in need in the community and training in agriculture and animal husbandry.