PHAPHAMANI HOME BASED CARE

Situated in Kabokweni, which is 35km outside Nelspruit and established in 1997 by a group of religious women lead by a nurse, Phaphamani Home Based Care has a vision of being a self-sufficient organisation. It provides sustainable community-based health care services to ensure the quality of life and optimal improvement in the health conditions of those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS.  Their mission as a non-profit organisation is; (1) to be the first-class provider of community health services through caring, education, prevention, counselling and Advocacy and (2) to provide quality care service on a home-to-home visit to those who need physical, psychological, spiritual and social support.  Primary beneficiaries of the service are the infected and affected people, secondary beneficiaries are the entire community.  They serve Kabokweni, as well as the seven surrounding areas, including TV trust, Nkomeni, Ermelo, Thembisa, Nkohlakalo which are under Tribal Chief, as well as Tekatakho and Kabokweni Ridge, which fall under municipality.
Innovation 

People who are committed, motivated and knowledgeable run the organisation. A professional Nurse monitors the activities on a daily basis and evaluation is done frequently.  Follow-ups are done with clients who have social and physical problems. Community and volunteer workshops and training have been done, teaching about AIDS-related diseases.  The activities such as DOT (post-treatment follow-ups), VCT (voluntary counselling training), Pre and PostTest Counselling are done continuously in the community.  Home-based caregivers undergo 59 days training in order to understand the activities and duties of caregivers.  The organisation is mentoring 3 new emerging organisations in the community:  (i)A Trauma Unit Centre - to give physical and psychological support to trauma patients; (ii) Sizimiseke Home Based Care - to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and Hope For Life Home Based Care and (iii)ongoing home based care and counselling.
Effectiveness

Planned goals have been achieved for the previous three years.  The organisation has motivated and educated young professionals.  It has good networking with government and non-government organisations.  The organisation has trained caregivers that are delivering services to the beneficiaries.  The project lacks sufficient written policy due to insufficient time and transport to do home visits.  Remote areas to visit and socio-economic problems make some objectives difficult to attain.  
The project is controlled through continuous monitoring and evaluations of all services provided.  The organisation consists of 9 Board members, 6 staff, 40 volunteers, 2 Securities and 1 Gardener.
Poverty Impact

Lack of food to child-headed families and to the poorest families have been addressed.  Home gardens are encouraged and currently some are involved in a sewing project.  Some are given land to plant gardens as well as skill development from the organisation.  The desired outcome is skills application to generate income.  Reducing the number of infected and affected by education also reduces poverty.
Sustainability

The project has insufficient funds for some programs, eg. funds for food parcels for orphans and the poorest. Donations cover the administrative costs of the organisation.
Replication

Currently, in Mpumalanga, the project is encouraging the initiation of five more projects of a similar nature.  The most important factor for replication is the training of staff that will be supervised by Phapamani Home Based Care.  Problems of each community must be individually identified, as each community differs in this regard.
Partnerships
•    Volunteers in the community in partnerships with government sectors run the project.  
•    Local government assists in mobilization of the community to take part in the organisation's activities.  
•    Provincial government's Department of Health plays an important role in making it possible for the organisational staff to attend workshops.  In addition it monitors the organisation's activities and there is good communication between the organisation and the Department.  It conducts workshops for the NGO's nationally and formulates policies to be followed by NGO's eg. manuals for training Caregivers.  
•    Interfund
•    The British High Commission
•    Eskom