Faith and Hope Integrated Programme, a non-profit organisation established in 2001, is giving much-needed HIV-related services to people residing in poverty-stricken townships of Mthatha.
The organisation was formed by a group of retired nurses due to the scourge of HIV/AIDS that left behind orphans and vulnerable children.
NPO manager, Nolundi Mtshitshi, said the initial intent of the NPO was to educate community members about HIV/AIDS and its resultant consequences.
“We do HIV counselling and testing, as well as awareness campaigns on HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence (GBV), and we have health workers working within communities by tracking and tracing clients who have absconded on treatment.
“We also have an adherence support programme to support clients who are taking their treatment and teaching them about the dangers of defaulting on treatment,” she said.
The NPO relies solely on donations, funders and grants – with the Eastern Cape Department of Health being their sole source of income.
Their contract with the department ends in November.
“We previously benefitted from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). But are now frustrated by what is happening in America.”
Mtshitshi said most of their clients were people in the Mthatha West townships including Slovo, Nelson Mandela and Chris Hani townships.
The organisation employs 10 people with three of them office-bound while the rest are community-based.
“Some are doing door-to-door counselling and testing for HIV; some are tracing and tracking clients and taking them back to treatment facilities. We allow people to volunteer on condition they don’t expect to be employed by the organisation.
“Employment depends on funding; we don’t employ people,” she said.
The organisation has been a lifeline for emerging NPOs by helping them register. Students from Walter Sisulu University and KSD TVET College have also been able to do their experiential training with Faith and Hope.
“The big challenge, though, is that we don’t have enough office space to accommodate the students. Among our future plans is to have our own site if we could get funding, to have a one-stop shop to provide our services.”
She said they were waiting for a programme of action from the Department of Health, which would include Faith and Hope dispensing treatment.
This, she said, as some people default due to transport challenges as there is no clinic catering for the people of Mthatha West.
“We plan to have a shelter for GBV victims and a soup kitchen for street children. But we face the same challenge of funding. We would also like to extend our services to far-flung areas such as Baziya, Mqhekezweni and Gxalubomvu because we are working with people who are willing to work with communities,” she said.
Mtshitshi can be contacted on 073 138 9256 or nmtshitshi@gmail.com.
