Community Health Promoters, Providing Hope in Soweto, Kayole clinic.

For many years, the community health promoters in Soweto, Kayole, have played a crucial role at the clinic, addressing health inequalities and promoting the well-being of their communities. They have acted as a vital link between the residents of Kayole and the clinic.

Eunice, a resident of Soweto Kayole, has known Pamela, a community health promoter for over 14 years. Through community training forums and health services, she has come to appreciate Pamela’s dedication to her community. Pamela works at the Soweto Kayole Health Center.

“Pamela helped me learn how to care for my four children. Through her guidance, I have learned about infant and child nutrition and the importance of vaccination. I have overcome my fears about seeking medical assistance. I remember being hesitant about consulting family planning services due to misinformation and controversies surrounding contraceptives. But with Pamela’s support and guidance, I was able to seek out the best family planning option for me,” she said.

The community health promoter’s commitment to providing health services at the doorstep has been invaluable. This involves holding campaigns, especially during outbreaks of diseases like cholera, with the aim of addressing public health concerns in the slum. In these campaigns, they create awareness about available medical services at the Soweto Kayole Health Center.

“The distribution of Mid-Upper Arm Circumference Measuring Tapes during the campaigns has helped me monitor malnutrition in my children. I have been trained in sanitation practices and how to prepare healthy meals for my family. My son also had an eye infection that was treated during a free medical camp,” Eunice recalls.

While Eunice acknowledged the challenges of accessing clean water in Soweto Kayole, she appreciated the efforts of the clinic in providing them with water guards to help prevent waterborne diseases. However, she hopes for the community to have access to reliable safe water sources in the future.

Eunice is extremely grateful for the services that Soweto Kayole Health Center has offered to her and her family. She appreciates the affordability, accessibility, and reliability of these services and encourages others to continue supporting the clinic’s efforts to serve the inhabitants of Kayole.