House destroyed by fire (25.8.2020)
Our social worker Nana Masikane reports:
"We have received a report about Mr Lungani Fakude whose house was destroyed by fire at night on 25 August 2020. On 26 August 2020, I made a home visit which revealed the following:
Mr Fakude lives at Masomonco in Mandeni. He lives with his 31-year-old sister, Miss Dumsile Fakude, and his 10-year-old nephew, Sikhona Biyela. Both Mr Fakude and his sister are unemployed. The only source of income is the child benefit of 22 euros per month that Miss Fakude receives for her son.
Miss Fakude and her son sleep in the main building, which consists of two bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room. Mr Fakude had a round hut and all his belongings were in this house. He has now moved into the main building with his sister. Mr Fakude reported that on Monday he used a candle because of a power cut. He went to a shop for a short time and when he came back, his house was on fire. All his belongings including bed, fridge, blankets and clothes in the house burnt in the house. His identity card was also in the house and also burnt .
We brought them food, cooking utensils, clothes and blankets."
Fire disaster (4.9.2019)
A short report by one of our social workers about the fire disaster of the K family. On 4 September 2019 at around 14°° hrs, a fire disaster broke out in the house and five of their round huts were burnt. They tried to save some of their belongings but it was in vain.
Mrs K was home alone, her son was at school, her daughters were away and her grandson, one year and four months old, was in hospital. They live near a huge forest and the fire came from there. They had no idea what started the fire. Mrs. K. is the breadwinner of the family of five, earning 500 Rand (30 €) a month by cleaning in her area.
We brought them to the hospice just because they had absolutely no accommodation. They stayed in our Ward 6 for a few nights. Then the community helped set up a small tent for the family, but also said they could not provide any more help. Now they are staying with their neighbours.
We have supported them for three months with clothes, blankets, kitchen utensils and food parcels to meet their most urgent needs.
A piece of Africa as no tourist knows it (1993)
In her article "A piece of Africa as no tourist knows it" Diane von Wrede writes:
"With Father Gerhard, I visited an old man one afternoon who was suffering from a bad skin disease that caused him constant itching.
Although he could be treated successfully several times in the hospital, it was extremely problematic to follow the medical instructions - wash thoroughly four times a day and apply an ointment, in addition always clean clothes and bed linen well - in his bush dwelling; the nearest water point is about 10 kilometres away.
Thus he became infected again and again.
Donations from the Brotherhood were used to build a water tank right next to his house, from which he can now always draw water.
Only through this relatively "trivial" measure could his illness be brought under control.