The Haven Trust, a local organisation that provides a safe space for abused women and children away from their abusers, yesterday donated personal protective equipment to Ekuphumuleni Geriatric Nursing Home.
The organization donated 3300 units of latex gloves and 6500 disposable aprons, as part of their efforts to assist the vulnerable.
Haven Trust Director Senator Tholakele Khumalo commended the facility’s personnel for keeping the place clean and running despite limitations in resources.
“Running such an institution is not easy, there are so many day to day challenges that they face but in spite of all those challenges, the nurses are trying their best to assist the elderly,” she said. “We are making this donation to also alleviate some of the day to day challenges they face.”
Receiving the donation, Ms Sukoluhle Hove who is the Home Administrator greatly appreciated the donation and appealed for any form of assistance from well-wishers to keep the institution running.
“We greatly appreciate the gift we have received from the organization, it will come in handy for our staff as they take care of the elderly housed at this institution,” she said. “We have limited resources to cater for the day to day running of this place and our clients pay a token fee that is not enough to cater for an elderly client with chronic conditions.”
Hove said the donation came at a time when the institution was facing a shortage of personal protective clothing a basic medical necessity in giving care for their clients.
The nursing home has a capacity of 62 inmates but currently houses 42 elderly people and is appealing for non-perishable food items and disposable adult diapers.
The Haven Trust, funded by Christian Aid Zimbabwe also provides counselling services to the victims of abuse and helps them to start livelihood projects that include poultry, gardening and dressmaking.
The organization has also been donating sanitary wear to other young girls and masks to other vulnerable communities to cushion them against the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
