:: The Barnabas Trust - Stories from some mentored community based organisations ::

Stories from some mentored community based organisations

Action and Outreach in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth, certainly lives up to its name as one of the most active, committed and caring organisations in its large township community.

With a hardworking volunteer team of 35, Action and Outreach have made it their business to seek out the lonely, lost and least in the Name of Christ and help them where they can. Today, this is mainly among those infected or affected by HIV/Aids.

As this pandemic gathers momentum, however, it is hardly necessary for Action and Outreach to seek out sufferers. Nowadays, as people become more accepting of the disease, sufferers seek them for care, guidance and help.

"People think we have all the answers. We don't. But we do what we can to help," explained retired nurse Lulu Msutu who, along with her friends, educated herself on understanding and treating those afflicted with the virus.

Action and Outreach, which grew out of the Mother's Union of St Stephen’s Anglican church (in New Brighton township, Port Elizabeth), in response to the needs of their community, was one of the first organisations to accept the helping hand of The Barnabas Trust. Their particular outreach is now extensive and includes counselling, meeting welfare needs, home-based care, skills training, providing fresh vegetables and prayer.
"We try to encourage those living with Aids to learn a skill, like beadwork. Our teaching these skills not only serves as a form of therapy but enables folk the opportunity of possibly earning a living and gives them a sense of purpose and dignity," says Lulu.
Almost all of the volunteers are women and each takes care of a particular zone within their area. At present Action and Outreach is caring for 110 clients, 10 of which are children who have been orphaned as a result of AIDS.

By Debbie Derry
Journalist

Operating from a busy Church Hall in New Brighton in Port Elizabeth, the Action and Outreach volunteers found that counselling clients was almost impossible due to a lack of privacy.
In the beginning the group did not have to worry about privacy, because they were only doing home visits and did not have many clients who required counselling. But halfway through 2002, the group was overwhelmed with young people who wanted to discuss their status and required counselling.
In response, the group members started using their homes for counselling, but privacy was still a problem as visitors and family members were always present. Tragically, some clients were not coming back.
It was obvious that the group needed a building of their own.
After a visit from Dr Liz Ling, a board member of the iThemba AIDS Foundation, things started to happen. Liz recognized the need and as a result of her help, a donation was made to the organization to enable them to purchase a container that could serve as an office and counselling rooms. The good news was celebrated with dancing and praises to God.

By Alma Lawler
Mentor

Volunteers from Action and Outreach
with Camilla Symes

Vegetable garden

Action and Outreach in New Brighton
outside their new container