My name is Tsietsi Motloung, I come from the Vaal Triangle. I found out about MaAfrika Tikkun. Some time back during the winter holidays, I visited my grandmother who lives in Orange Farm. She was suffering from high blood pressure which led to her lose her eyesight.

I tried to ease the pain of her swollen feet, by rubbing them for her. Afterwards, I went outside to relax my mind, and that is where I saw a group of young people who were wearing orange and black clothes. I asked them what they were doing and they told me that they were caregivers and explained to me how they worked.

That got me interested because one of my family members was ill too. I felt I needed to help because where I come from there are limited resources. I went and enquired about work and fortunately there was no experience needed to be a caregiver. They promised to take me for training, I worked as a home based care giver for few months. I was later transferred to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) caregiver.

It was like a dream come true, because working with children was like a calling to me. In Bokamoso alone, we have 164 orphans, so each three care giver from OVC looks after 54 children. Some have been taken out of the programme as they are now working and are able to look after themselves and are no longer eligible for food parcels and clothing.

THE CHALLENGE

Most of the vulnerable children we look after do not have official documentation like a road to health chart, identification documents or birth certificates. I would like to get in touch with Home Affairs and Social Development for grants to help those who are really in need. Auxiliary social worker training is needed to empower OVC caregivers to empower our clients.

Palliative care training and first aid were introduced to all 21 OVC caregivers. We are in a position to spot the symptom and identify what problem the client is suffering from. We are also in the process of learning different skills like driving and helping the social worker in dealing with other clients.

I would also like to be in touch with the department of health as some of the people we are dealing with are on ARVs (anti-retrovirals) and others are not. For instance over the festive period the social worker and I took one of our clients to Baragwanath hospital and the doctor told us that she might be discharged in May. She is only 18 years old and is one of our best students and cannot continue with her studies due to her failing health.

MY FUTURE

I would like to be a social worker and I would also like MaAfrika Tikkun to help the community of Orange Farm more especially those who are not receiving any help. Computer training is also one of the skills that will benefit us all and that will help me to take to work to another level.

I would also like to work more with the Angel’s programme as it makes me feel happy when we renovate shacks for people and they are left with a decent place to live and giving them a peace of mind. I would like to urge more men like me to come forward and care for those who need help. At the moment, men are far outnumbered by women in the field of caring, which is sad. I would also like to thank MaAfrika Tikkun for the wonderful work they are doing of giving hope to children who are heads of their households.