Global volunteers shine light in our communities

Lilly volunteers from Canada, Israel, USA and UK recently spent two weeks at the Project Hope Clinic in Zandspruit as part of the organisation’s Connecting Hearts Abroad programme.

The group has identified impoverished countries around the world including India, Costa Rica, South Africa and Thailand. The 20 volunteers work with patients suffering from non-communicable diseases, including diabetes and hypertension.

“With the help of Lilly’s Connecting Hearts Abroad ambassadors working alongside project Hope, we were able to introduce a new approach within the primary healthcare setting in South Africa,” said Beverly Mkhabela, programme officer for Lilly SA.

Project Hope CEO, John Howe said the volunteers were a great help in educating the staff and patients and has ultimately helped the community feel empowered. “It helps us in our goal to provide sustainable solutions to health problems with the intention of helping people to help themselves,” said Howe.

The group of volunteers is made up of doctors, pharmacists, diabetes educators, dieticians and specialists helped the clinic staff with community health screenings, patient education and provided training to the employees to implement a system that would reduce the time spent in waiting lines at community clinics.

The Connecting Hearts programme was first established in 2011 with the aim of improving and treating diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and chronic lung diseases in disadvantaged areas while providing patient education materials. Mkhabela added, “We have seen an increase in compliance now that patients better understand the impact of not taking their medications as prescribed.”

The global volunteers will also spend two weeks on service assignments in Hobeni in the Eastern Cape.

Details: Contact Project Hope 011 475 6380