Fund Life-Changing Education for 201 African Kids

Dear Supporters,

Seeking to bridge the gap in basic knowledge on health and thereby equip community members with skills and tools to help build foundations of health, GVI Cape Town launched a workshop course spanning five health topics over five weeks. In total 25 workshop were hosted with several participants at each opportunity. At the end of the course some of the participants had actively changed their lifestyle and noticed improvements in their well-being doing so.

At the beginning of the third quarter the goal was to create a new health-related course reaching out to major parts of the community. We began with a need’s analysis where we surveyed over forty adults using a five-point scale on their level of satisfaction with different aspects of their and their children’s health (e.g., sickness frequency, mental health, concentration levels, weight), as well as whether they consider themselves knowledgeable. We also asked for their degree of interest in learning more about health, and on which topics they were keenest.

From this analysis, we researched, designed, and executed a five-workshop course to be held over five weeks, covering five main topics (one topic every day for one week): healthy eating, hygiene and sanitation, major diseases (HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, diabetes, etc.), mental health, and exercise. All content was selected based on relevance in South Africa, featuring conditions/health issues with the highest regional prevalence and the research was derived mostly from the World Health Organization’s online material, and when available, from the South African government’s health department.

The workshop begun with adults as they comprise both the population’s majority as well as parents. Each workshop included at least one interactive exercise. The healthy eating workshop, for example, had participants 1) “healthify” favourite recipes, and 2) make a weekly meal plan (to encourage financial and time efficiency); we guided participants through mindfulness and a meditation in the mental health workshop; and in the exercise workshop, participants got active!

Building these new workshops required not only time and effort but funds. As the research was the main foundation providing the participants with the correct information, it was emphasised. Once the workshops were put in motion material was required e.g. each participant was given pamphlets explaining the topic further. The extra material was ensuring the impact of the course and helped encouraging new participants to join. Once again, this material would not have been possible if it wasn’t for the funds being sent.

Following the healthy eating workshop, two participants, Lindiwe and Cacilda, pledged to undertake healthy diets for themselves and their families for at least three weeks. They vowed to jettison soda, sweets, and processed food and up their intake of fruits and vegetables. At the two-week mark, Cacilda emphatically reported that she “felt like a new person,” and that the whole family would be continuing this healthful journey.

From discussing personal diabetes experiences to group lunges to catching sneezes with “the dab,” engaging with the participants has undoubtedly been the highlight of the workshop course. It is our great hope that we have helped, and will continue to help, empower community members’ to—insofar as they are able—build a foundation to healthful and happy futures.

As we continue our work in the communities in and around Nomzamo and broaden our impact we hope to implement more of these workshop as they are a major step in right direction in creating a healthier population. Not only do they link to Good Health and Well-being but also work forwards Reduced Inequalities and Partnership for the Goals and these workshops would have been possible without the local partners co-operation.

GVI has been forming and delivering health workshops covering topics from nutritious food and exercise to infectious diseases (HIV, AIDS, TB, diabetes etc.). The workshop created great interest and was a major success. The hope is continuing these workshops with the objective to improve the health and lifestyles of communities like Nomzamo.

All our best, 

GVI Gordons Bay Community Team