Soweto Retired Professional Society

The Soweto Retired Professional Society (SRPS) was established in Soweto, outside of Johannesburg in Gauteng, in 1986, as a response to a spate of strikes in the public sector effecting hospitals.  In 2004, the SRPS was asked by the Gauteng Department of Health to mentor a group of 102 volunteer members from Thlokomela Home-Based Care, a Non-Government Organisation (NGOs) located in Orlando East.  The volunteers were taught the essentials in Home-Based Care practices for patients living with HIV/AIDS.  For their services, SRPS was paid R262 000.  With this initial funding, and 25 beds donated by Clinics Group of Private Hospitals, the SRPS hospice, titled the Footprint Centre, began.  Anglo-American donated R10 000 for 2004/2005, and Julie Hendersen donated seedlings to start the vegetable gardens.
 

The result of these experiences caused the SRPS to realise that a multi-disciplinary approach was needed to address the impact of HIV/AIDS on the lives of community members in Soweto.  Using the funds generated from the mentorship programme as seed capital, and accessing additional sponsorship, they established a food garden on the grounds of the hospice in order to feed their in-patients, out-patients without access to food grants, and orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).  The food garden has become so successful that volunteer caregivers are sent home with weekly vegetables, and any other surplus is sold, helping to offset operational costs.
 

A professional gardener, trained by Food and Trees for Africa, manages the organic food garden.  A variety of vegetables and herbs are grown, including thyme, comfrey, fennel, basil, coriander, lavender, rosemary, oreganum, mint, garlic, tomatoes, carrots, spinach, beetroot, potatoes, turnips, beans, peas, onions, cabbage, chillies, peppers and brinjals.  In addition to the gardener on site, 10 have been trained in how to establish food gardens, and are currently training community members in how to grow their own food.
 

Innovation

The project is innovative in the sense that they consist of a group of retired professional people who has decided that they can still play a role in supporting the community. Members of the organisation do not receive any financial compensation and all funds made are ploughed back into the project.

Effectiveness
 

On average, 10 to 20 patients are in the hospice at any given time receiving care for severe complications resulting from HIV.  Although the average patient enters the hospice in the later stages of the disease, in 2005 39 patients, out of the 155 admitted, were released because of vast improvements in their health.  Also, 130 children are fed by the produce grown by the SRPS.   

Poverty Impact

16 job opportunities have been created for HIV-positive individuals through the SRPS Footprint Centre: 10 Home-Based Caregivers, 2 gardeners, 2 security officers, 1 cook and 1 cleaner.  Also, a gardener, professionally trained at Food and Trees for Africa, earns R1500 per month, while volunteers from Thlokomela receive a stipend of R700 to R800 per month for their services. 

Sustainability

The administrator is responsible for the daily financial control, and in turn reports to the management committee who then in-turn report to the board of directors and the Auditors.  Members of the SPRS contribute R50 a month towards running the project as well.
 

Replication
 

Organisations like SPRS, that use retired professonals, are important and can be replicated accross the country, given the lack of skills in the health sector particularly.
 

Partnerships:

•City of Johannesburg
•Anglo America
•Clinics Group of Private Hospitals
•Julie Hendersen
•Department of Health