Manzini Health Team: Learn About 3 More Manzini-Based NGOs
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are one of the key actors in community development and, as a form of support to the national and local governments, they play a key role in the provision of response against social challenges that are embedded in society. Like many other cities globally, the City of Manzini has a number of NGOs that provide various services to citizens. The Municipal Council of Manzini plays a coordination role for most of the NGOs that provide health related services in the city; and for such purposes the Municipality established what is known as the Manzini Health Team (MHT). This is in line with the Municipality’s 2019-2024 Integrated Development Plan strategic objective “to provide responsive integrated health and social welfare services by 2024”. The MHT comprises 18 member NGOs. Beginning two weeks ago, the Municipality has been engaged in a rolling campaign that seeks to promote the service offering of these NGOs for awareness creation purposes and so that more and more citizens can access their services. MHT members that have already been published are the Family Life Association of Swaziland (FLAS), Hope House, Women Together, Autism Eswatini, National Emergency Response Council on HIV and AIDS (NERCHA), Sanakwa Inclusion Care Centre, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)-Eswatini, The AIDS Support Centre (TASC), Eswatini Church Forum and the National TB Programme. Today’s article is a continuation of the awareness campaign for members of the MHT. Citizens of Manzini and the general members of the public are encouraged to utilise the services offered by the NGOs. Please read on and familiarise yourself with their service offering.
THE RALEIGH FITKIN MEMORIAL (RFM) HOSPITAL:
The Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) hospital is a 350-bed general hospital located in the City of Manzini; at the intersection of Ligusha and Dr. Hynd roads. It is a regional referral hospital for the catchment population in the Manzini region. The hospital is a faith-based organisation under the Church of the Nazarene and provides primary and tertiary health care services to the public in line and in collaboration with the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini. The RFM hospital is, therefore, under the Eswatini Nazarene Health Institutions (ENHI). It is open for same-day care on weekdays from 8am to 5pm. However, there are extended special hours of service especially for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension and diabetes. The hospital may be contacted on 2505 2211 or 2508 4000.
- SERVICES OFFERED
- Provision of in-patient care wherein patients are admitted and treated for the duration of their stay in the hospital. These admissions include surgical, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, casualty unit where emergencies are attended to and an Intensive Care Unit.
- Provision of out-patient services wherein patients are attended to on a daily basis (also referred to as same-day care).
- The hospital also has a health unit which provides services including diagnostic medical laboratory, pharmacy, radiology for diagnostic imaging and physiotherapy.
- Human-Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) mitigation programmes including Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and HIV Testing Services, Tuberculosis (TB) services, Baylor Children’s Clinic, food aid with assistance from World Food Programme (WFP), Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) as well as voluntary male medical circumcision.
- The RFM Hospital also has a One-Stop Centre which caters for all Gender-Based Violence matters including rape. The services are rendered in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Deputy Prime Minister’s Office as well as the Ministry of Justice for purposes of managing prosecution and police related matters.
Manzini Youth Care (MYC):
The Manzini Youth Care (MYC) is a faith-based Non-governmental Organization (NGO) which was established in 1978 as a community service project; providing various essential welfare services and the most basic needs that contribute to the wellbeing of the poor and needy young people. For the past 44 years, Manzini Youth Care (MYC) Salesian Youth Project in Swaziland has provided support and care for the homeless, marginalized, destitute and vulnerable youths who would otherwise be on the streets. Founded by the Catholic Religious Organization of the Salesian Society, MYC’s holistic approach is to provide the basic needs of food, accommodation, clothing, education, technical and vocational skills training, ethical and spiritual development. It is located along the Southern Distributor Road, opposite Old Metro premises. It operates between 8am and 4:30pm on Mondays to Thursdays as well as 8am to 4pm on Fridays. The organisation may be contacted on 2505 6963. Visiting of Youth Care Homes is by appointment with the Office. Over the past years Manzini Youth Care established both formal and informal education programmes, Vocational and Technical Skills Training centres, an Agricultural Youth Training Programme and Residential Care Homes.
The purpose was to respond to the needs of the vulnerable youths in Eswatini through the provision of a holistic and integrated approach to education and human development based on the philosophy/pedagogy known as Preventive System which was coined by St John Bosco; the founder of the Salesian Society. Manzini Youth Care (MYC) works with vulnerable and marginalized children and youths who are at risk. Residential care homes, education and skills training are priority areas; with focus on reintegration of the youth back into society and/or back into mainstream education and/or into jobs upon completion of training. Accommodation is provided to the destitute as well as youths from various Tinkhundla centres in the Manzini region; for Agricultural Skills Training purposes. Training varies from basic to advanced level for youths with little or no education. Life skills are an integral part of the programmes. Through international and local funding, Manzini Youth Care has extended its commitment to care for destitute and vulnerable youths through the development of a variety of social, educational and entrepreneurial youth projects. The fundamental aim of every project is to address various socio-political and economic issues that confront the youth; including poverty-related issues that manifest through destitution, hunger, poor health, limited access to education and other basic services.
- SERVICES OFFERED
- Social welfare services for reintegration of marginalized youths.
- Management/supervision of residential care homes for young people.
- Placement of beneficiaries in various schools around Manzini. MYC also provides bursaries to some young people affected by poverty.
- Community outreach programmes whereby food parcels and clothes are distributed to social centres (commonly referred to as soup kitchens) around the City of Manzini and other parts of the Kingdom of Eswatini.
- Bosco Upgrading Study Centre to assist and create an opportunity for pupils in Form three and Form five improve and achieve better academic results/grades.
- Youth Sports and Recreation Centre which provides the youth with a safe place to gather and socialize in order to keep them away from anti-social behaviour such as substance abuse and crime.
- Bosco Youth Agricultural Training Centre for pupils who aspire to venture into farming such as honey production, pig rearing and permaculture.
- Provision of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) workshops. MYC provides fully equipped and well serviced production units/facilities for SMMEs to young entrepreneurs (at Likusasa Centre) at affordable rentals and has sufficient storage space for products.
- Networking with stakeholders such as the Social Welfare Department of Eswatini, parents/relatives or guardians of the children, chiefs and other community leaders in the various Tinkhundla centres.
ACTS OF FAITH:
Acts of Faith (AOF) is a Christian Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) whose primary mandate is to reach out to vulnerable people in communities through the church and other organized groups; the purpose being building of a sustainable future. The organisation’s offices are located at Office No.1, Ella Court Building, 122 Esser Street, opposite Mandlenkhosi Building in Manzini. It operates on Mondays to Thursdays, 8am to 4pm, and Fridays from 8am to 1pm. The organisation may be contacted on 2505 5293, 35022460, 2505 4586 (Fax), 7604 0553 or by email at fbsmcc@swazi.net or hlobinx@swazi.net. The organisation also has a website (www. aof.org.sz).
- SERVICES OFFERED
- Gender-Based Violence (gbv) training to church leadership (youth, women and the clergy). The organization has developed a training manual on sexual violence for churches. Eighty pastors have been trained in the Manzini region using the contextual bible study approach. It has also facilitated community dialogues on GBV.
- It helps groups of women in church and vulnerable groups in communities to start income generating projects, provide them with training on product development including peanut butter production, manufacturing of house products as well as agricultural production.
- Sensitisation of the church about HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and the Covid-19 virus; so that they practice preventative measures. Face masks, hand sanitizers and soap have been distributed to support group members and Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC).
- Provision of support to OVCs through taking care of their school needs such as school uniform. The organization also provides OVCs with psycho-social support.
- Roll-out of annual youth camps.
- Facilitation of marriage enrichment workshops for couples.
The organization also runs a savings and credit cooperative.