We started the year 2016 in Tsibogang with the counseling workshop which was held on 04.01. – 08.01.2016 in St. Joseph’s Retreat Centre , Mahikeng and was attended by 34 home care givers. Two members of Tlamelang helped with preparing the meals for the participants ; this measure saves a lot of money. Those living in the vicinity of Mafikeng came to the workshop on a daily basis. This also helped us to save money.
The work of our home care givers is draining at times and also stressful because they see many unsolvable problems and often feel helpless. Therefore the counseling workshop is a way of support and also debriefing which I regard as an important way to sustain our project and to encourage the work of our home care givers. I guess, many of them would have given up long ago if they would not have this type of support system like the counseling workshop.
On four days we read the book “ Friendship with God “ by Trevor Hudson. In this book the reader is encouraged to reflect on his image of God and invited to expand and respond to God as our friend. Every day we had times for personal reflection and journaling. At the end of the workshop many praised these session where they had time with themselves and God. Also the one to one counseling sessions helped many to debrief and to get know each other better while sharing experiences.
On Tuesday we had a lecture of a local dietician who presented the topic: “Healthy eating and its impact on life”. South Africa is in position four in the world of people being overweight. The organizers of the workshop saw the need to inform our home care givers about healthy eating and its impact on life with special focus on diets for children and for People living with HIV/AIDS.
Tuesday and Thursday afternoon wellness and handwork were our main focus. The combination of wellness and handwork was chosen as many of our home care givers complain about stress. We discovered that looking after oneself by doing foot massage to each other as well as doing nails helped them to relax. The handwork was a nice experience for most because they learned something new and they were creative.
On Wednesday we had a memorial service for one of our home care givers (Matshidisho Koolebogile) who had passed away on the 4th of January. We invited the family of that member as well as other members of Tlamelang to join us in this sad occasion. We remembered her as a humble and dedicated home care giver who loved her work and committed herself to community work and looking after vulnerable children and patients in her community.
In the afternoon Itsholeng Moepi and Tebogo Ikaneng shared their experiences with the support group of children (A Re Tshamekeng Bana) with us.
Although it was one of the hottest weeks recorded in South Africa on two days we had more than 40° C) we closed the workshop on Friday in a better mood and energetic for the work of this year and we are thankful to all donors who made this possible.
Christel Lorato Hermann