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Mpilonhle - A Good Life

Mpilonhle News

Support Group at Nkodibe High School

31 Jul 2009

On the 27^th of May 2009 a support group was implemented at Nkodibe High school. The idea came to me after a meeting with the social work coordinator (Delly Mashele) that was held at the office on the 20 April 2009 between me (Sinethemba Mofu), Andile Zulu, Sthembiso Miya and Chairperson (Delly Mashele). In the meeting our coordinator advised us to start support groups at the schools where we are working. The aim of starting a support group was to provide a chance for the HIV positive learners to share same experiences, uncertainties and fears in a safe and understanding environment. It also aims at giving the learners the opportunity to express their solidarity and social participation. It will also allow learners to rebuild effective life (family, sexuality and leisure). The support group will help people develop their own strategies to face HIV infection. Based on confidentiality, non-judgment, listening and dedramatization; the support group also aims at removing the stigma within oneself, fellow learners, family and the community at large. The support group was started on the 27^th of May 2009. Four of my HIV positive clients had been prepared for the support group. During individual counseling sessions. I had been teaching them about support groups and preparing them for joining one.

The clients took the initiative very positively and actually jumped at the opportunity to join the support group. The reason why I chose to start the support group with four  clients is because I had been seeing them for individual counseling for more than eight sessions and they were doing very well. I started the support group with a health counselor (Smangele Miya). The reason was that she had long term interest in the idea before the support group was implemented; secondly, she has an experience of working with support groups. On the first meeting of the group we discussed finding an identity for the group. At the end of the meeting, the group was officially named “THANDIMPILO  SUPPORT GROUP”.

Future goals:      Through a number of activities we aim at generating a small income for the support group.     Making beaded HIV/AIDS ribbons, necklaces        and bangles.

      Starting a garden project at the school and later helping each one of the members to have their own at home.

      The constitution of the support group will guide us into taking care of the income generated.

 

      We would also like to be of great assistance to our communities in any way that we can.

The initiative was not an easy one, it was 100% unpredictable, but with the help and support of the social work coordinator (Delly Mashele) and unit 3 team it has been implemented successfully and it will surely be kept sustainable and growing throughout.