David Mokwena is 38 years old. He has a girlfriend, and two children: a son of 18 years and daughter of 5 years who are both still at school.

Since he started working at Pamodzi as a caregiver David says, “I feel like I am making a difference in people’s lives”. Four men applied to become caregivers but all of them except David left the programme because they found the work too difficult emotionally and mentally.

David has now graduated from the 69 day training course that MaAfrika Tikkun and Lethukukhanya Health Institute provided. He cares for 18 clients, some of whom are category two (patients with diabetes and high blood pressure). He has helped many people who are bedridden. He has even taken over some of the other caregiver’s clients who proved too much work for them.

One day David went to see the Diepsloot project manager, Bessy Netsianda. He looked very depressed and said that his son has been asking him to send money for his school fees, but David did not have any money to send him. David decided to sell his music system and cellphone to raise the money, but nobody in the community had enough money to buy the items. The project manager then lent him the money and later when he received his stipend, he paid the money back over a few months.

David is eager to grow and develop his career in caregiving. Most of the challenges he faces are related to counseling because he has to help those who confide in him and disclose their problems.

David says some female caregivers feel intimidated by him, but he is willing to follow instructions they give him because he has lived with women and is willing to learnt to understand them.