UKUKHUTHAZA AIDS MINISTRY

Home Ministry Orphans The Workers WISH LIST

 

THE WORKERS

Where would any ministry such as this be without the wonderful people who give of themselves so unsparingly to help others in need?  Ukukhuthaza has its share of these tireless workers, who need to be acknowledged.

Members of our management committee are:

  • Rev. Dr Andrew Warmback, rector of St John the Baptist.
     
  • Wendy Jones - chairperson, a member of St John's and a busy wife, mother and businesswoman, who undertakes to organise the activities of the group and oversee all the administration, including facilitating applications for grants.
     
  • Luise Joubert - secretary, also a member of St John's, a retired lady who is very active in visiting the communities and distributing donations of clothes etc. to the community workers.  She sees to the day-to-day running of the ministry, and is "mother" to our workers.
     
  • Ed Wolff, fund raising organiser, a member of St Johns who has seen the huge need to raise funds and is prepared to undertake the task of contacting organisations who might help.  He is in contact with Anglican churches in Germany and Holland, who, hopefully, will be willing to contribute.
     
  • Winnie Ngcongo, a community worker in Clermont, who serves on the committee.  She is a tireless worker in her community, going far beyond the duties required by the Municipality that employs her.  Winnie is featured in our Spotlight, below.
     
  • Malcolm Rosenberg, treasurer, a member of St John's, who also undertakes to purchase the food for the food parcels every month.
     
  • Dorah Dlamini, a nursing sister from St Mary's church, Hammarsdale.
     
  • Christopher Buthelezi, a member of St Stephen's church in Kwandegezi.
     
  • Glenrose Khambule, carer and community visitor from Clernaville.
     
  • Barbara McAlpin, website manager, a member of St John's.
     

 

SPOTLIGHT ON WINNIE NGCOBO

Winnie was born in 1964 Hammarsdale, KwaZulu Natal, where she went to school and matriculated at Phezulu High School.  In 1988, when violence erupted in Hammarsdale, her family moved to Clermont, where she still lives.  In Clermont, she soon became part of the community, serving on the Block Committee, various street committees and the Community Policing Forum.  In 2000 she was chosen by the community to become a Community Health Worker, employed by the Ethekwini Municipality for a small stipend. (In 2000, she was paid R744, or ± €79 per month, and in 2001 this was increased to R1400, or ±€149 per month.  She has received no salary increase since then.)  Her work was to do home visits, take details of families and refer them to the relevant departments; to follow-up on those receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS, TB, etc.; to advise on health matters and educate the people; to take care of those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS; to take care of orphans.  The area she was allocated, 38th Street, has grown, and now encompasses a much larger area.  All visits have to be made on foot - transport costs are high and no car is available

Winnie has a passion for educating people about HIV/AIDS.  She encourages everyone to get tested - she herself was tested and thankfully she is HIV negative.  She encourages people to disclose their status to their families - often a very difficult thing to do as having the disease is perceived as a shameful thing, and often HIV positive people are rejected by their families.  Winnie is often the one to tell the relatives about someone's positive status, explaining as she does so that the sick person needs love and acceptance rather than harsh judgment.

Winnie takes care of approximately 200 orphans.  Most of these are in the care of family or a care-giver, and are entitled to grants from the government.  Obtaining these grants is often a complicated business, and here Winnie facilitates the process by making sure the necessary documents are available and the correct forms are submitted.

Winnie's home is a small house built with money obtained from the Truth and Reconciliation Council.  It leaks in the rain, as the money ran out before it could be plastered, but she shares it with her 3 children and 4 other family members.  It has become a haven for many desperate people in the community, where they can go at any time of the day or night and be sure of getting counseling and help, whatever their problems.  The little house has become known as the House of Hope.

 

 ÙTop of Page