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Sophumelela Centre

Restoring Hope, Health & Dignity

Sophumelela Centre
Sophumelela Centre
Sophumelela Centre
Sophumelela Centre
Sophumelela Centre
Compelled by the love of Jesus to see a society free from the suffering caused by HIV/Aids.

Our name, Sophumelela was chosen by our community. In Xhosa it means “we will succeed”.

Sophumelela Centre is building stronger communities. We work with people affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty, changing lives – young and old - by:

• Educating young minds to give them the skills and confidence to change their futures
• Helping to mould the unemployable into the employable
• Caring for people in their homes and restoring health, dignity and ability to work
• Connecting the most vulnerable children in our communities to the services designed to support them
• Mentoring public health centre staff to improve patient outcomes and job satisfaction

Sophumelela Centre has been in successful operation for 11 years, and we’re proud of that. We believe that people affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty should have equal opportunities. That access to work readiness skills, to quality education and health services will go a long way to help end inequality in South Africa and restore a sense of purpose and hopefulness in our communities.

We began as a ministry of First City Baptist Church in response to the ongoing health pandemic and poverty epidemic on their doorstep.

Today Sophumelela Centre offers:

1. Home Based Care

Provides comprehensive medical education and ongoing assessment of health and social conditions to the frail and dying to alleviate the suffering caused by HIV/AIDS and poverty.

2. Hope Schools – Little Sparklers Educare and Hope Preparatory

Established and co-managed by Sophumelela Centre, Hope Schools focus on giving 20 new young lives each year, and the learners already at our schools, the skills and confidence they need to change their futures by providing a first class, Christian education in a caring, nurturing environment.

We currently have 227 children at our schools, all of whom are either infected, orphaned or affected by HIV/AIDS. More than 40% are orphaned or living with caregivers. 45% of the children live in poverty. 70% of Hope Schools’ parents and carers cannot afford the small percentage of school fees we charge them to educate, transport and feed their child each day.

3. Work4All

South Africa has the third highest unemployment rate in the world, with young people 15-24 three times more likely to be unemployed than adults. Work4All seeks to address these issues with our work readiness Learner Apprentice Program. Through targeted skills development to improve work readiness, work ethic and employability, Work4All’s Learner Apprentice Program coaches individuals through life and business lessons while they work within a partnering host business on a 6 month apprenticeship.

4. Technical Assistance to Public Health Centres

Since 2013, Eastern Cape public health centres have been responsible for providing HIV clinical services and dispensing AntiRetroviral (ARV) medications. However professionalism, care, interest and education varies dramatically from centre to centre.

Through our mentorship of 38 Buffalo City Public Health Facilities our Technical Assistance teams have seen a more than 50% improvement in clinical recording and health indicators for over 12 700 ARV patients. Centres under Sophumelela’s mentorship are now using more efficient and accurate data capturing processes affecting speed of patient care, ability to follow up patients and provision of accurate statistics.

4. Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Community Care

Our community care for Orphan and Vulnerable Children program is providing a sense of security and stability to our child clients and the nearly 800 children living in their households. These households are visited by our carer on a regular basis, someone who lives and works in their community, connecting them to the systems and services designed to support and sustain them. It is working at the prevention and early intervention levels of child and youth care.

Restoring Hope, Health & Dignity





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