Community outreach
Emmanuel’s Wish Foundation is actively involved in the greater Richmond community. Some community programs link with other EWF projects and include regular follow-up with patients discharged from the Comfort Home to ensure they are healing and thriving at home. EWF provides a weekly parenting study in the informal squatter camp settlement in Richmond, KZN as well as monthly food parcels to the neediest families there.
Children from impoverished local families were often not getting to school because they were unable to afford transport to school and the walk was unsafe for children. EWF, with the gracious help of donors, was able to step in and provide transportation for these students. 20-25 children attend school because EWF is able to take them there and back safely. In addition, EWF sponsors a breakfast program in two impoverished local schools, providing children with food at the start of their learning day, which has greatly improved energy and learning.
We are currently raising monthly support to expand our community programs to include an after-school and home-based support program for child-headed households. With a high rate of HIV infection and one of the most affected areas of the world by Tuberculosis (TB), Richmond is situated in an area where unfortunately many children are raising their younger siblings without parents.
Creche/preschool
Siyethemba (See-ya-tem-ba) Children’s Centre is a crèche (day care/nursery school) operating in the town of Richmond, KZN, South Africa. It houses 40-50 children aged 2-5 daily from 8am-4pm. The majority of these children come from vulnerable homes, be they single parent, grandparent-led homes or homes in the informal squatter camp communities around Richmond. Children are provided with a safe environment to play and learn as well as two nutritious meals.
Siyethemba was named after a very special ten year old boy that stayed at the Comfort Home and was the first child to pass away from AIDS there. He was deeply loved and cared for by the staff at the EWF Hospice and the children’s centre was named in his honour. Siyathemba is Zulu for “We have hope” as we believe everyone should. To get a better picture of the joy and busyness of Siyethemba Creche check out the video below.
Comfort home
“Ikhaya Lokuphatheka Kahle” is the name of a 13 bed comfort home (hospice) currently operating in the town of Richmond, KZN, South Africa. The home is an inpatient unit that is equipped to serve those sick and dying. The majority of patients seen at the comfort home are HIV positive. Many are diagnosed and started on treatment for Tuberculosis (TB) while in residence.
However, a variety of different people from different walks of life walk through the doors of “Ikhaya Lokuphatheka Kahle” and are helped in whatever way possible. For some that means that they are given a loving comfortable place to spend their last days. For others, they are returned to health and able to return home and continue to care for their families. We are so blessed to be a part of bringing both dignity and hope to those afflicted with AIDS.
Ikhaya Lokuphatheka Kahle means Comfort Home and we praise God that it is a place of comfort for many in the community.