Grabouw

Valerie Smit (HOPE Community Health Worker)
Kekelesto Lebetsa (HOPE Community Health Worker)

Valerie Smit has been employed by HOPE Association since the beginning of 2006. She is currently attending a nursing training course for caregivers and also gained professional skills as a caregiver in Somerset West.  Born in Grabouw, her interpretation skills in Afrikaans and English are very useful in the clinic.  Valerie enjoys working with different people.  Counselling is one of her passions and she hopes, with her time and advice, she will make a difference.  After-hours, she distributes food parcels to rural areas.  Because of her strong commitment for her community, Roshani is very popular, well known and respected.

Kekelesto Lebetsa was born and attended school in the Eastern Cape. Kekelesto brings strong public health background with training in marketing and management, computer information and typing as well as professional skills gained as an employee of the Grabouw Community College with responsibility for home based care. Her interpretation skills (English, Xohsa and Tsutu) are important in the clinic.  Kekelesto has been working for HOPE Association since beginning of 2006 and most of the time she is busy with doing talks and workshops about HIV and Aids, TB, MTCT (Mother to Child Transmission), hygene and nutrition in the clinic.  After her work Kekelesto is still busy in her church, teaching at the Sunday school and meeting with youth. She also volunteers in a hospice shop in her community.  Because of her strong commitment for her community Kekelesto is very popular, well known and respected.

Grabouw Clinic

The Grabouw clinic offers medical assistance 24 hours a day staffed with 8 nursing sisters during the day and 2 nursing sisters during the night. The large facility with 13 consulting rooms has 2 full-time doctors from 8:00 am to 16:30 pm. The common illnesses are TB, HIV, and diarrhoea.

Grabouw Community

Grabouw is a very wide spread and poor community. The community itself is divided into rural areas and farms. Shacks and informal housing is common. Many people living in Grabouw were born in Cape Town; however, others come from all parts of Africa.  Despite having 8 schools, the drop out rate is high.  Social problems include drug and alcohol abuse, teenage pregnacy and a high crime rate.

Kekelesto and Valerie

treatment

preparation for the day