Losing three relatives to HIV in Tsholomnqa was the turning point for HIV sufferer Mandisa Dukashe, who committed time and money to empowering villagers.
What started out as counselling sessions for those living with the disease has since blossomed into a successful project where villagers grow and sell vegetables. They also sell chickens.
Dukashe, a 39-year-old qualified but unemployed professional nurse, has been living with HIV since 2002.
The mother-of-three and 12 friends began a community outreach project in 2009 to educate people about HIV.
They counselled those who were affected and infected throughout the Mpongo community in Tsholomnqa.
“Of the 12, three are also infected and the rest were affected ... together we wanted to see a change in the people’s lives living with HIV, but we didn’t want to alienate people living with other illnesses so we have also accommodated them, too.”
She said their home-based visits and campaigns went well but they also saw a need to help people become self-sustainable.
Dukashe bought 100 chicks which started life in the backyard of her Greenfields home until they were big enough to take to Tsholomnqa for residents to sell.
They could not continue to use her backyard because of constraints within the suburb, so now they buy the finished product for resale.
Dukashe also bought vegetable seeds which were planted in the yard of one of the villagers in Tsholomnqa.
Those living with illnesses and their families were encouraged to sell the vegetables for their livelihood.
Village committee chairwoman Nomthandazo Tenge said they were being empowered by the work done by Dukashe and her team.
“She was born and bred here, so she knows our challenges; that is why when she requested a piece of land to grow vegetables, the whole village welcomed the idea.”
Zanoncedo empowerment project was allocated 300 hectares of land by the committee to encourage people to grow their own food and to give them a financial boost.
“They have educated us about everything, not just HIV. They have breast cancer awareness, tuberculosis and diabetes education,” said Tenge.
“They have opened up our minds and we are now aware that we do not only have to go to the clinic for assistance, but we can do self-examinations as well.”
Nosiphiwo Mda, 32, said it was a wonderful initiative for their rural community because it had often been neglected in the past.
“She has gone out of her way to train us and make us able to help the many villagers that rely on us.”
Dukashe appealed to the public to help with seeds and fencing which she can use to fence off the 300 hectare “garden”.
Angel of mercy ends up empowering her village
What started out as counselling sessions for those living with the disease has since blossomed into a successful project where villagers grow and sell vegetables. They also sell chickens.
Dukashe, a 39-year-old qualified but unemployed professional nurse, has been living with HIV since 2002.
The mother-of-three and 12 friends began a community outreach project in 2009 to educate people about HIV.
They counselled those who were affected and infected throughout the Mpongo community in Tsholomnqa.
“Of the 12, three are also infected and the rest were affected ... together we wanted to see a change in the people’s lives living with HIV, but we didn’t want to alienate people living with other illnesses so we have also accommodated them, too.”
She said their home-based visits and campaigns went well but they also saw a need to help people become self-sustainable.
Dukashe bought 100 chicks which started life in the backyard of her Greenfields home until they were big enough to take to Tsholomnqa for residents to sell.
They could not continue to use her backyard because of constraints within the suburb, so now they buy the finished product for resale.
Dukashe also bought vegetable seeds which were planted in the yard of one of the villagers in Tsholomnqa.
Those living with illnesses and their families were encouraged to sell the vegetables for their livelihood.
Village committee chairwoman Nomthandazo Tenge said they were being empowered by the work done by Dukashe and her team.
“She was born and bred here, so she knows our challenges; that is why when she requested a piece of land to grow vegetables, the whole village welcomed the idea.”
Zanoncedo empowerment project was allocated 300 hectares of land by the committee to encourage people to grow their own food and to give them a financial boost.
“They have educated us about everything, not just HIV. They have breast cancer awareness, tuberculosis and diabetes education,” said Tenge.
“They have opened up our minds and we are now aware that we do not only have to go to the clinic for assistance, but we can do self-examinations as well.”
Nosiphiwo Mda, 32, said it was a wonderful initiative for their rural community because it had often been neglected in the past.
“She has gone out of her way to train us and make us able to help the many villagers that rely on us.”
Dukashe appealed to the public to help with seeds and fencing which she can use to fence off the 300 hectare “garden”.
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