Maseme Community Care AIDS Project

Organisational History

Maseme Community Care AIDS Project was established in 1993 by a concerned group of youth representing Churches, Political Parties and Civic Associations. Its main task was to help people to apply ID documents and to teach community on voter education. After 1995 the programme change its main focus because of the alarming rate of STD's and HIV/AIDS. The main target was for the youth, teenagers, churches, schools and etc.

The organisation is non-profit & non-political. It is being recognised nationally and provincially.

Objectives

Maseme approaches the HIV/AIDS crisis in the Moretele 1 & 2 district through Educational Awareness Programme and counseling. Extension have been made to cover Gauteng boarders especially in the farm areas.

Aims

• To raise awareness on health HIV/AIDS & STD's issue among the youth in particular and other sector of community through educational programmes such as seminars, rallies, workshops, etc.
• To counsel and campaign for the acceptance and support of people living with HIV/AIDS and involving them especially the young one's in intervention programmes.
• To raise funds for all the projects and to encourage and establish income generating projects (and or entrepreneurship) to ensure self reliance and sustenance of the organisation.

Our Vision

To empower communities with life skills will help them to participate in the development and management of their own lives as full members especially in health promotion, sexual issues and the fight against HIV/AIDS & STD's and substance abuse. In this way, we are without doubt that we have an AIDS FREE Society, where partners will be together in faithful mutual relationships (decline of families/divorces)

Our Mission

Maseme Community Care AIDS Project's mission is to reinforce primary health care structure and provide information to grassroots in order to make health a way of life and make community aware of the fact that health is wealth. And finally be part and parcel of the machinery that will make health for all by the year 2000.

Reaching its Objectives

Since the commencement of this project, we have managed to reach on 31 schools, high and middle. We have managed to involve 840 traditional healers. Since the beginning of the project, we have managed to reach out 43119 people. The project have managed to introduce itself within the organisation that have the same program.

Networking system was very good since the centre was networking with Wolanani and Township AIDS Programme. We managed to contact PWA's to conduct talks in various schools and clinics. Although some PWA's have passed away, we did introduce our programme to them and we have treated them with love and care. Community involvement on march against HIV/AIDS Programme. We participate on HIV/AIDS standardised document for national.

• We participated on STD/HIV/AIDS review summit held at Zimbabwe.
• We conducted one day workshops at various areas e.g. Mogolego, Eesterus and Swartdam targeting the youth.
• We managed to arrange 5 days workshop conducted by Rustenburg Life Line. We arranged a joint programme for youth and traditional healers.
• We participated on 4 days workshop organised by Rustenburg AIDS Life Line on behavioural change programme.
• We participated on Provincial World AIDS Day.
• We participated on Provincial HIV/AIDS summit.

Administration

The organisation have 7 staff members trained by AIDS Life Line and Pretoria Council of Churches. The supervisor of these programmes is the co-ordinator who also oversee the smooth running of this centre.

• The organisation have managed to raise funds from Pretoria Development Trust; R30 000.00 (1997). The organisation have managed to raise R50 000.00 from Department of Health (1997).
• The organisation have managed to raise R142 800.00 from the Transitional National Department Trust (1998).
• The organisation have managed to raise R25 000.00 from the Department of Health in the North West Province (1998).

Due to overwork at schools, volunteers have been employed to assist in the programme.

This report is a true reflection of Maseme's activities.

Prepared by S.R. Kotlolo (Project Co-ordinator