Supporting Our Beneficiaries

Changing lives through team Spirit

In partnership with our supplier - Marissa Nel & Associates – we conducted home visits to patients in dire need during the COVID high risk period. They visited Khayelihle William Mcitwa (known as William) at his home in Elubhacweni Location just outside Mount Frere.

During their visit and assessment of William's needs, he shared his touching story with them. He was a fit, healthy, and strong man employed at the Kloof Gold Mine. He used to play soccer and was well known at Carletonville for his soccer skills. He was tragically injured on the 23rd April 1997 which resulted in his leg being amputated above the knee.

William took on the responsibility of looking after young boys in his community and encouraged them to stay away from bad things that affect the youth, by keeping them busy through coaching the youngsters on how to play soccer. Some of the children he coaches used to take drugs and commit criminal offences such as house-break-ins, but he managed to positively influence them to let go of all old bad habits and to join his soccer team.

It’s been a challenging process, as there has been no financial support for the initiative. William reached out to Marissa Nel & Associates and asked if they had the ability to assist his project.

Right: Marissa Nel hands over new kit and soccer balls to William Mcitwa for his community soccer team.

William wants to create a sense of belonging for the youth, and to use sport to teach many life lessons such as winning and losing and being part of a team which you always have to give of your best.

They were touched by his passion and commitment to the children in his soccer team and were impressed with his goal of changing these children's lives, so they committed to sponsoring his soccer squad made up of two teams with full kit. The kit allowed the children to be recognised as a team which bolstered the team spirit and dedication.

Marissa Nel & Associates manufactured and fitted William with an above knee prosthesis, and he had this to say:
"I need to let people in my community know how helpful you are to people with disabilities, we have people who have been injured in car accidents and don't know that there are people like you who can assist with artificial limbs."

Honouring Our Core Values During Challenging

Times

Due to our pensioner patients being categorised as high risk during COVID 19, all our mobile clinics were re-scheduled for a later date as a precautionary measure to avoid the pensioners having to use public transport to reach the clinics, as this would expose them to greater risk.

We contacted all the Eastern Cape pensioners scheduled for April and May clinics to explain the situation to them and reassuring them of our commitment to their safety and wellbeing. Some of the pensioners with minor needs could be re-scheduled for when conditions are more favourable, however some of them reported more serious challenges and required urgent assistance team.

Pensioners receive a Mini JoJo tank and soap to enable them to wash hands regularly.

Service and assistance at patient's doorstep

Following very stringent and strict safety measures we embarked on a new journey by taking services and support to our high-risk pensioner patients straight to their front doors. Upon arrival at the pensioner homes we conducted a pre-screening process, once this was completed and no symptoms or risk was recorded, we commenced with the assessment.

Adding additional value to the pensioners and their families

Access to water remains a challenge in most rural areas in the Eastern Cape and it is difﬁcult to maintain good hygiene, regular washing of hands and following the basic COVID-19 hygiene rules required. All pensioners visited were supplied with a Mini JoJo tank and soap enabling them to wash hands regularly. They were also provided with a face shield, and cloth masks were provided to their family members. The team embarked on a skills transference campaign teaching the pensioners how to practise personal hygiene and regular washing of hands. We provided printed posters outlining the importance of good hygiene which we encouraged the family to put up in their homes.

Left: Mr. Cwasi receives a water tank and was advised on good hand hygiene practices.

Making the best of an imperfect situation

As we continue to navigate the uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemic, we will continue to set ourselves apart with the actions we take to serve and assist our pensioners and other high-risk patients during these challenging times.

We had an opportunity to make the best of an imperfect situation, it was an opportunity to demonstrate our compassion, kindness, and commitment to help our pensioners. Putting humanity ﬁrst during times of crisis, inspires loyalty. Our pensioners will remember how they were treated and cared for when they were most vulnerable.

New prosthetic legs for Lwandise

We partnered with Marissa Nel and Associates Medical Prosthetists to build new high-tech prosthetic legs for Lwandise, a delightful and playful 6-year-old from a rural community in Qumbu near Mthatha in the Eastern Cape. He lost both his legs above the knees and was amputated at the age of 3 due to congenital deformities.

Lwandise had been patiently been waiting for artificial limbs to be provided by the Department of Health for three years. He is very energetic and loves playing outdoors and was meant to start school in Grade R this year, however he did not because he had no prosthesis to assist with mobility. His family was concerned that he would be teased at school which would affect his emotional state.

The Marissa Nel team take Lwandise out for a practice walk.

Lwandise practices walking up and down stairs with his new prosthetic legs.

Through our partnership with Marissa Nel and Associates, Lwandise has been given an opportunity to go to school and have mobility to play with other children and grow his confidence and opportunities in life.

During the weeklong process of the manufacturing and fitting of Lwandise's new legs the Marissa Nel and Associates team operated under stringent COVID-19 safety protocols to ensure the safety of Lwandise and their employees.

To help Lwandise to adapt to his new legs from a practical and motivational aspect, they invited Ubuko Mpotulo to assist.

Ubuko Mpotulo is a charismatic, sporty and inspirational young boy who also lost his legs following health complications at a young age and in 2016 we joined forces with our prosthetics partner, Marissa Nel & Associates to manufacture and fit his first set of prosthetics spiderman designed legs.

Since then Ubuko's well documented journey resulted in him being offered a bursary to attend Selborne Primary, a well-respected school in East London where he is excelling as a popular and active scholar.

Every year they host a race for disabled persons called #WeCanRun to create disability awareness and to improve the quality of life to the disabled community.

The event is also a fundraiser to assist towards the cost of Ubuko's new prosthetic legs as he outgrows them. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Marissa Nel and Associates giving the gift of mobility to those in need.