CARITAS SOUTH AFRICA FUND

Holy Cross Home Suiderberg Solar Project: Holy Cross Home is a residential frail care center located in Suiderberg, Pretoria, South Africa. It is owned and managed by the Holy Cross Sisters and caters to all racial groups and denominations. The home provides 24-hour nursing care for frail and elderly individuals, focusing on a holistic approach that respects and promotes life from inception to death. Holy Cross Home caters for 85 frail and elderly individuals the majority of which require 24 hour care. Holy Cross Home relies primarily on donor funding, and it cares for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in the community. The Holy Cross Sisters are committed to the provision quality, basic and specialized nursing care, respecting, protecting and promoting life from inception to death. They uphold the dignity of every person and stand in solidarity with the disadvantaged. The Holy Cross Home is one of the few remaining catholic homes run by sisters. The introduction of solar at Holy Cross Home was undertaken to ensure the ongoing supply of electricity which in South Africa has proved difficult due to load shedding and to ensure the future sustainability of the Home.

Diocese of Manzini Good Shepherd Catholic Hospital Ambulance: Good Shepherd Hospital is a 224-bed hospital run by the Catholic Diocese of Manzini in partnership with the eSwatini Government. The Diocese of Manzini, based in eSwatini, is part of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference. In 1949 the Catholic Church in Eswatini officially established the Good Shepherd Catholic Hospital , following its mandate to human nature as commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ in John 10:10 that all mankind should live life in abundance. The land and buildings where the Hospital is situated are wholly owned by the Roman Catholic Church, and the Hospital is directed by a Governing Board. In the beginning, the Hospital comprised of two rondavels and a staff compliment of three - namely one Medical Officer and two Nursing Mantellata Sisters, which was adequate to meet the needs of the community at that time. Government Subvention was first received in 1977 to enable effectiveness and efficiency in the management of the hospital. In 1978 the hospital was upgraded and completed in 1981. It was officially opened by Dr. Samuel Hynd, who was the Minister for Health at the time. In 1985 it was localized. The hospital has been declared a Regional hospital and has since expanded its services and programs to respond to current community needs. It currently serves a population of 207 731 in the Lubombo Region. This population is one of the poorest and hard hit by the HIV/AIDS scourge in the country, thus most of the patients are admitted into the hospital. The hospital is responsible for providing health care to around 201,000 people in the Lubombo region and beyond. Good Shepherd Hospital is the referral hospital for the sugar plantation company hospitals throughout the region. The hospital oversees the running of 22 rural clinics around Lubombo. Given the distances that are required to be travelled funding was requested for the purchase of an ambulance which is greatly needed. The hospital currently serves a large, mainly poor, rural population. eSwatini is classified as a lower-middle-income nation, with approximately 63 percent of the population living below the poverty line.