HIV and AIDS counsellor and a mother to the Cato Manor community, Lizzie Mkhize appeals to the community for donations this Christmas.
Mkhize opened her home to the vulnerable in 2006 after facing hardships of gender-based violence, a divorce and finding out that she was HIV positive. She said services offered at the Cato Manor Masibambisane are primary health care, a soup kitchen, counselling and testing, after-school classes, chronic medication pick-ups, pregnancy testing, TB screenings and also a support group for GBV victims and vulnerable children.
“I work very well with the Cato Manor SAPS and other NGOs. I am the go-to person whenever SAPS have abused victims dropped off at the stations and it does not matter what time of the day it is. The centre caters for 60 elderly, over 1 500 chronic patients and 50 children. We have 10 volunteers who are currently working on a rotational basis and we are open on weekends.”
Mkhize said Covid-19 caused a strain on their finances as donations have been slow. “This year and last year we could not even host functions for our elderly and children just to show them love and appreciation. We did hope that we could get donations to at least cook a meal on Christmas, for those who have no food at home, especially those on chronic medication.”
Mkhize, coming from the community of Wentworth and working in the medical field, knew that her destiny was to serve the community. She said while staying in Wentworth, she assisted women beaten by their partners. “One of the incidents I will never forget is when I had to deliver a baby for the first time, without the help of anyone. This lady had serious contractions and could not wait for an ambulance. With my medical history, I knew what I had to do but was scared as I did not want to harm the baby. I called the ambulance and at that time ambulances were stationed at Addington Hospital. The woman’s contractions got stronger and I had no choice but to prepare for delivery while I waited for the paramedics. As I was on the phone with them, I could see that the baby was coming. The paramedics gave me instructions and the next thing I saw, I had delivered a bouncing baby boy. I was so proud of myself,” explained Mkhize.
She said a few months later, because of the abuse she faced at home, she decided to quit her formal job and joined Church Alliance for Social Transformation (CAST), a non-profit organisation in Westville that mobilises and equips local churches for compassionate action among the poor in their communities.
She said at some point in her life she assisted HIV patients who were sickly, where she had to bath and feed them, also assisting them with medication, making sure that they stick to their schedules of administering their antiretrovirals (ARVs). “We are appealing to the local community for donations to make this possible. We are also collecting pre-loved clothing for the children in the community who won’t be getting new Christmas clothes, adult and baby diapers and baby formula for the little babies the police bring home for care before being taken in by the social workers,” Mkhize added.
