The biggest challenge in Grahamstown for the non-profit organisation, Doctors Without Borders, is a lack of awareness, said Wandile Dube, Coaching Assistant.
The biggest challenge in Grahamstown for the non-profit organisation, Doctors Without Borders, is a lack of awareness, said Wandile Dube, Coaching Assistant.
“Compared with other places that we have been to in the province, people here seem not to know what line of work we are in and it has been very difficult to get donations”, said Dube.
Doctors Without Borders has been to three destinations in the Eastern Cape, starting their fund-raising tour of the province in East London, before going to Port Alfred and Kenton-on-Sea.
The team is in Grahamstown to raise awareness of, and raise funds for, its work. The team arrived on Monday, 30 June and will remain until Monday, 7 July.
Doctors Without Borders Fund-raiser, Dineo Sithole, said the organisation no longer focuses only on conflict-ridden regions of the world, but it seeks to extend help to areas with high levels of financial inequality and socio-economic problems beyond the borders of South Africa.
“We help rape victims in Swaziland with medication and emotional support, and also provide professional advice on healthy abortion,” said Dineo.
“We are asking for donations from the people of Grahamstown because we are reliant on individuals to aid us financially”, said Sithole.
The 22-year-old added that 80% of the organisation’s funding comes from donations. The Doctors Without Borders’ travel team has come up with a safer method by which prospective donors can contribute.
“We do not accept cash donations. We use a debit order method for safety purposes. It’s also a convenient process,” said Dube.
Mthunzi Zweni, a teacher of Natural Sciences and Economics and Management Sciences at Joza’s C.M Vellem Higher Primary School, said,“I have never heard about this organisation before and what they are concerned with.”
A small number of Good Samaritans stopped at the stall situated outside Checkers and manned by the Doctors Without Borders’ staff, to learn more about the organisation and open their hearts – and pockets.
Domestic worker and mother of three, Vuyokazi Lukwe, was delighted at the sight of Doctors Without Borders.
“I did not know that such an organisation existed and I am very pleased that they are here. Our clinics need doctors so we can stop being referred to different health institutions because of absence of doctors in clinics, as that is a major inconvenience,” said Lukwe.
Another Grahamstonian who was thrilled to see Doctors Without Borders in her home town was Brenda Mtana, from Lingelihle, who also expressed the need for the doctors to come back to Grahamstown soon.
“I hope they visit again so that they can share their knowledge with the wider public in Grahamstown and educate more people about how they operate,” said the former Benjamin Mahlasela High School pupil, who now works at Hi-tech as a security guard.
During the tour the Doctors Without Borders staffmembers were interviewed on Rhodes Music Radio, an on-campus radio station at Rhodes University, in a bid to reach a large audience and make everyone aware of their presence in town. The doctors conclude their tour with a two-day stint at Rhodes University’s Eden Grove Blue building starting from today until Sunday.
