Healing Minds make a contribution in fighting Covid-19
By Nande Fayo
By now, most people alive know that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has infected nearly every continent, forced countries into state of emergency, sent individuals into varying levels of quarantine and isolation, and shuttered businesses and schools.
It is againts this background that Healing Minds Community Services funded by the Department of Social Development, have decided to help combat the spread of the coronavirus in Walmer township in Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape, by conducting a number of awareness-raising initiatives focusing on the importance of handwashing, sanitizing, wearing of masks and social distance to fight COVID-19.
One of the members Pheliwe Mdingi said despite having limited resources, they realized that hygiene etiquettes was something that a lot of people were not talking about while it is something very important. “We knew food was something that was being addressed by a lot of NGOs and people, so we thought of getting together and go to homes, clinics, shopping malls, churches and taxi ranks to educate people about the dangers of COVID 19, especially to those who have chronic illnesses and also to educate them on how to prevent the spread of this deadly virus .She says they have also been contracted by the department to produce 660 masks and distribute those to Walmer community members as part of trying to stop the spread of this invisible enemy.
The Healing Minds Community Services, founded in 2012 by a group of 15 women, is a non-profit organization that runs several other programs to assist and uplift the local community .Despite these new responsibilities, the centre has a daily feeding scheme for over 250 impoverished people from the area, an Early Childhood Development Centre (ECDC) for 87 toddlers whose parents are either absent, deceased or cannot afford early childhood care; a sewing skills training program as well as a cleaning and recycling initiative. A model eco garden with an organic waste management system is also underway at the site, with the vision being to grow fresh produce to sell in order to generate funds for the centre. In addition, they also deliver food and medication to the sick and elderly; assists the local police with victim support and facilitates reintegration initiatives to assist ex-convicts who want to make amends and rejoin the community. With no sponsors at the time and used their own state pension grant to buy food for the community, they were obligated to look for bigger premises as they were operating at a private residence. Social workers took it upon themselves to assist the organization to operate in a safer and more secure premises through seeking sponsorship and identified the building they currently occupy. Through the intervention the building was renovated and turned into a much safer and secure building.
These dedicated women say since the coronavirus outbreak, the whole country has been mobilized to fight the disease, made all necessary deployments, implemented unprecedented prevention and control measures to stop the spread of disease. They say it is not only governments responsibility to fight COVID 19 but also a responsibility of individuals and that is the main reason that they decided to take it upon themselves to help fight the spread.
Today, with the help of many willing contributors, Healing Minds is a beacon of light; providing refuge, assistance, counselling, skills, information and opportunity in order to uplift the community and introduce a healthier and more productive way of life.