Heads up in Cowdray Park

The project has been named the Bambelela Project and it aims to use a holistic model known as HEADS UP which stands for Health, Education, Agriculture and Discipleship Strategy for the Urban Poor.

Children under the age of six have been targeted as part of the project due to the unique health challenges that they face. A Family Centre has also been established to create a base from which multiple interventions will address the needs of both children and their caregivers: health assessments, education, nutritional support, sport and recreation, economic strengthening/skills development, agricultural training, parental skills and spiritual development.

Since the project was established in May, workers have been meeting with community leaders in order to gain their support. It has been quite a process meeting with the army, police, community leaders, development committees, Councillors, City Planners and the Health Department, said one of the Directors of ACACIA, Sarah Giles. At times we have felt like weve been thrown from pillar to post and it has been quite exhausting, but God has been with us and has given favour and grace.

At the beginning of October the Bambelela team ran a health week in the area, with support from a team of volunteers from Peterborough in the UK. It was the most amazing week with four clinics seeing over 500 people from the community. Some of the sick were wheeled in wheelbarrows and everyone queued in the hot sun and dust, said Giles.

After being registered and screened by volunteer nurses, the patients were seen by doctors (volunteers from New Creation Church). They then received medication from a make-shift pharmacy and then had prayer. The meetings with local leaders paid off and the Bambelela Project were given the go ahead to build a Church centre and pre-school. For more information about the Bambelela Project and to find out ways in which you can support the work there, contact www.acaciaprojects.org.