Woman Achiever Award 2006 for Nombulelo Fanti, Knysna
On 6th of August, Nombulelo Fanti, an energetic woman who started from scratch a 'second home' for children infected or affected by HIV in her community, was suddenly interrupted in her duties by a phone call concerning her compassionate commitment for the needs of her community.
Nombulelo lives with her husband Richard and her two children, Ma-Asi and Khona, in the Robololo part of Knysna. In 1993, a dark day in her memory, she went to the local hospital to be HIV tested. To her horror, the result was "HIV positive'. Her whole life seemed to be changed that day; she carried a virus in her body that she knew little about but that scared her. The HIV shocked and frightened her, but it couldn't get her life out of track.
She started the Children Support Group BEAT IT! YOU CAN! (OR YOYISEUNAKO); now affected kids from the area everyday come to her house to dance, to sing and to play drama.
When Nombulelo got involved with the Knysna AIDS Council, things started to get even better. Ms M. Seela, Director of the Knysna AIDS Council, sent her to an Home Based Care training course so that Nombulelo could even better serve and help her community. From then on, the KAC managed to organize continues support for the BEAT IT! YOU CAN! - Group. This support included much needed clothing and donations of raincoats, as well as food. But not only that! As Nombulelo explained, when her old house's roof started leaking, and it got too small for all the children, "the KAC worked hard but achieved to organize a new house for all of us to be build". And on top of that, "the KAC found funders to pay school fees for many of my kids for two years already" as well as uniforms, stationary.
On the 6th of August, Nombulelo received a phone call, saying that her commitment for the community didn't went unnoticed. On a conference in Cape Town, Ms. W. Kalani, working at the Knysna hospital, nominated Nombulelo Fanti for the Woman Achiever Award 2006. Her unquestioned commitment towards helping the weakest members of our society convinced the jury thoroughly to give this years Award to her.
Ms. Nombulelo Fanti would like to thank the Knysna AIDS Council and all the people who helped and assisted her along her long and rough way from that dark day in 1993 to a proud and successful member of her community.
On 6th of August, Nombulelo Fanti, an energetic woman who started from scratch a 'second home' for children infected or affected by HIV in her community, was suddenly interrupted in her duties by a phone call concerning her compassionate commitment for the needs of her community.
Nombulelo lives with her husband Richard and her two children, Ma-Asi and Khona, in the Robololo part of Knysna. In 1993, a dark day in her memory, she went to the local hospital to be HIV tested. To her horror, the result was "HIV positive'. Her whole life seemed to be changed that day; she carried a virus in her body that she knew little about but that scared her. The HIV shocked and frightened her, but it couldn't get her life out of track.
She started the Children Support Group BEAT IT! YOU CAN! (OR YOYISEUNAKO); now affected kids from the area everyday come to her house to dance, to sing and to play drama.
When Nombulelo got involved with the Knysna AIDS Council, things started to get even better. Ms M. Seela, Director of the Knysna AIDS Council, sent her to an Home Based Care training course so that Nombulelo could even better serve and help her community. From then on, the KAC managed to organize continues support for the BEAT IT! YOU CAN! - Group. This support included much needed clothing and donations of raincoats, as well as food. But not only that! As Nombulelo explained, when her old house's roof started leaking, and it got too small for all the children, "the KAC worked hard but achieved to organize a new house for all of us to be build". And on top of that, "the KAC found funders to pay school fees for many of my kids for two years already" as well as uniforms, stationary.
On the 6th of August, Nombulelo received a phone call, saying that her commitment for the community didn't went unnoticed. On a conference in Cape Town, Ms. W. Kalani, working at the Knysna hospital, nominated Nombulelo Fanti for the Woman Achiever Award 2006. Her unquestioned commitment towards helping the weakest members of our society convinced the jury thoroughly to give this years Award to her.
Ms. Nombulelo Fanti would like to thank the Knysna AIDS Council and all the people who helped and assisted her along her long and rough way from that dark day in 1993 to a proud and successful member of her community.
Nombulelo decided to take on the challenge and let not the virus take control of her life, but to help others which were in even greater despair. As an unfortunate matter of fact, many families in her community are endangered by HIV. Sadly, children are the worst affected by the virus. Often, when parents fall ill after being infected with HIV, they loose the ability to feed, house and care for their children. Nombulelo opened her heart and house for kids in this highly traumatizing situation.
