In 2009, FERH opened a crisis centre which is used for trauma counselling, sexual assault victims who need either counselling or testing for sexually transmitted diseases.
Counsellors also work with victims of domestic violence, drunk drivers who were arrested and need to get back on track and even suspects of sexual abuse who are tested.
This centre is for both children and adults and helps with various problems of any kind.
An old building on the premises was vacated for a long time without being used.
Margaret Mashiyane, a senior social worker at FERH, says they had mothers coming to feed their admitted babies and who had no place to stay.
“This is when Lonmin came on board,” says Margaret. Lonmin funded the Far East Rand Hospital Mother’s Lodge facility which was officially opened by Hope Papo, MEC for Health, on July 16, 2013.
The Mother’s Lodge, which is free of charge, is solely intended for mothers who need to feed their babies who are admitted in hospital.
The mothers can stay as long as the children are admitted and up to 16 mothers can live in the facility.
The Divhani Rasanavo Paediatric Step-down facility was also funded by Lonmin.
This facility was inspired by Divhani Rasanavo, a girl who was diagnosed with HIV at a young age, who saw the start of Lonmin House as a dream as she and children like her would not have to grow up in a hospital with sick people around them.
Divhani was present at several of the meetings and saw the plans for the facility, but was not there to share the joy of the opening as she died shortly before her 15th birthday.
This facility is put in place for children that are in need, who were abandoned and children who are up for adoption.
The facility also has training classes to empower the mothers.
They are taught necessary skills, like sewing and caring for their children, for when they need to return to their homes with their children.
The hospital is also planning to begin a gardening exercise for the mothers so that they can plant their own food at home.
The children have medical care at the facility as well as physio exercises, dietitians and social workers when they have the need for them.
Margaret says this was all made possible by the funding of Lonmin and the care and open hearts of the staff of Far East Rand Hospital.
