Thembalami Care Centre, which is run by the Rand Aid Association, looked back on a year rich with blessings at its annual Thanksgiving event.
The centre’s manager Elize Raath addressed the audience, saying, “I always thought that number 13 was unlucky but 2013 had been the most wonderful year we have ever had. A number of individuals, churches and companies reached out to the care centre in a bid to make the lives better for the people who call Thembalami home. Most receive only government subsidies, which barely cover the cost of their accommodation. The majority of residents cannot afford those little things most of us take for granted, like body cream, a new facecloth or a pair of slippers. In meeting residents’ basic needs, Thembalami has little left over for renovations or improvements to the old building they occupy in Lombardy East.”
Raath said the centre managed to overhaul their elevators at a cost of around one million rand – thus making the care centre safer in emergencies and allowing the frail residents to travel more easily between floors. The centre also repaired their roof – another mammoth task given the size of the building and the extent of the leaks. Re-paving was also undertaken and a ceiling was erected over
a dilapidated patio to create an outdoor recreation area. Raath added donations of all kinds made life a little sweeter. “Some residents received new pillows, linen, mattresses, and sweets, and tables were donated. Frequent functions were [also] held for the entertainment of residents.”
She said the centre had many plans for the new year, including renovating a wing in the women’s ward, painting a number of passages and rooms, overhauling the laundry lift, installing water tanks and a generator to minimise the impact of municipal strikes and outages, sourcing paintings and curtains, and providing more residents with new pillows.
Details: Elize 011 882 4434
