“AVOIDING TB” The new materiel: Awareness about how to learn to
avoid to be infected by TB. This empowerment was at MKI Health
Information Center in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa.
We had 18 participants same gender, deferent backgrounds, same
cultural group. These were coming from Mthawelanga, Mthawelanga is
one of NGO’s we are working with here around Khayelitsha. They
support those people who are infected and affected (children’s). It is
overwhelming to always unlock something for any one whose
eager/hungry for knowledge.
All of them they were around Khayelitsha, but you must understand
that Khayelitsha is formed by so many small townships. The zeal was
so magnificent among participants and the questioning time and also
interactive among them was uncourageous. The awareness was
consisting of few sections around ancient time, what was happening to
“AVOIDE TB”. We just taken a small effective time to look and study
what was a problem at that time. The new materiel was more clear
than the first one, why the participants they catch easily this one. The
problem to my community here in Khayelitsha we have few people
who are well informed in educational side. That is a problem that is
facing us as this center. But I’m so happy because I have a brilliant
staff Kirsty and Xolani and May these guys are working tirelessly
making sure that the materiel is relevant to my participants. When we
learn deeper that means more about TB the participant were flexible
they understand and they ask questions applicable questions I was
excited and revived as their facilitator among them, to see that we are
empowering them as the center.
The following day we continued about this awareness, it was very easy
now and more fruitfully from the participant and me as a facilitator.
And I was amazed by a lot of experience that comes from them
(participants) while we are discussing some of the hot/burning issues
just come out from them. Because most of them they are staying in
squatter camps around Khayelitsha, they also contributed towards
prevention than infected by TB. That was a greater experience to me
as a facilitator. What I discover they will be always a more challenge
and zeal that is coming out of my community in any area of their live
they face with.
From the participant: The name of the participant is Ntuthuzelo
Pungulwa. Ntuthuzelo is wonderful participant he is so vibrant in such
away you can see that he can do something if he can get that
opportunity. Ntuthuzelo is a father and also a happily married man,
with one child. He started here at Baphumelele Health Information
Center from “Early Childhood Development” he was fascinating also
there as the participant. Ntuthuzelo’s encounter/experience “ I always
not forget what I’ve learn from this center, especially “Avoiding TB. It
was a wonderful experience, because I did not know much about TB.
But I learn a lot about it, in my neighborhood we have so many
people who are TB infected I’m always a solution to them. And also I
apply what I learn every day at work, because I’m working in
environment of people who are HIV and TB infected at Baphumelele
Repice Center. I thank very much the MKI Health Information Center
at Baphumelele, because as ever since I started to be a participant
here from that day I started to do my dream job. Thank you guys so
much I don’t have words to say more but thank you”.
Acknowledges the mostly important people behind this powerful force
of changing the community: Rossie Mashale the Managing Director of
Baphumelele Children’s Home, Dr Harold Robles the President & cofounder of Medical Knowledge Institute , Kirsty Stiff the representative
of the Medical Knowledge Institute in South Africa, Xolani Mcoyana the
Administrator of the MKI Health Information Center in Khayelitsha.
May Msingathi
Facilitator at the MKI Health Information Center in Khayelitsha