Banakekeleni Hospice in Alexandra will be one of 11 beneficiaries of the Johannesburg Water (JW) nappy drive.
The City of Johannesburg’s water and sanitation utility, which has extended its drive to collect one million adult nappies for the elderly and terminally-ill members of the community in July, has identified 11 beneficiaries from the project who are located across the city.
The beneficiaries will include the Andries Meyer Home in Eldorado Park; Frederick Place in Coronationville; Evalon House in Jeppestown; Nazareth House in Yeoville; Tswelopele Frail Centre in the Johannesburg; Banakekeleni Hospice in Alexandra; Ahanang Parish Based Care and Mamohau Motshehetsi Care Support, both in Soweto; Chinese Old Age Home in Belgravia; Jafta Village in Johannesburg South; and the Floroma Old Age Home in Roodepoort.
The #Nappies4Dignity campaign was launched during National Sanitation Week, held from 16 and 20 May, and is driven by the National Department of Water and Sanitation, which encourages municipalities and water utilities throughout the country to raise the profile on issues of water and sanitation.
Joburg Water’s managing director, Lungile Dhlamini said, “It is about dignity. Imagine your loved, elderly person not having full control over their excretory functions. Think of the embarrassment when he or she soils their clothes, having to offer an excuse to children or grandchildren. For the sake of their dignity, most people will not say a word when they are in a sanitary compromised situation.
“Care facilities such as old age homes, hospices and home-based care organisations do try to supply nappies to those who cannot afford it. It is the observed indignity of them having to go without adult nappies for even a day that has motivated Joburg Water to start this campaign.”
Dhlamini said they have already received support from various entities in the private sector, including shopping malls, which will also be used as collection points for the nappies. Besides the shopping malls, he said all Johannesburg Water depots will serve as drop-off points for the more than a million nappies they hope to collect through the drive.
Community members are urged to drop off nappies and help support the cause.
