Foundation for African Medicine and Education (FAME)’s Post

My "begging bowl" is not quite empty yet. I'm now trying to raise awareness for one more organisation. One that takes care of the other end of the spectrum in society... The discarded elderly. The Elders Voice KZN. This organisation was established to assist in fighting for the rights of the Aged, which allows them to live with Dignity in their Old Age. They are an elderly community upliftment initiative located in Durban and keep shared elderly living home based care places of residence running to cater for vulnerable senior citizens. Elder's Voice KZN provides hope and dignity to the elderly. Many of our elderly folk end up homeless and unwanted by their families and society. Yet these are foundations of the very society that shuns them. Society’s continued neglect of the aged, which leaves them exposed to dangers like abuse, rape and harassment, and living on the streets is a massive problem. Many end up destitute through no fault of their own. This could be you one day. The Elders Voice can only do so much. They also depend on donations to supplement the cost of caring for the elderly they have taken in. Again I extend an invite to you to visit their website and Facebook page. Again I urge the SA Organisations to consider donating funds or basic food and toiletries. Old people are to be valued. They are to be respected because of the wisdom and experience they have accumulated (Proverbs 16:31; 20:29; Job 12:12). May you be led to give.🙏 #theeldersvoicekzn #dignity #respectfortheelderly

I'm reading the paper "Exploring volunteers’ role in healthcare service ecosystems: value co-creation, self-adjustment and re-humanisation" by Laura Di Pietro and colleagues. 🔔 This study used a qualitative approach with data from interviews, volunteers’ diaries, and observations. 🔔 Suggests how volunteers contribute to enhancing the well-being outcomes for stakeholders. 🔔 Found that using volunteers’ leads to the re-humanisation of services. Example: Volunteer activities allow parents to experience a moment of happiness together with their child in the hospital during a stressful time. At the same time the volunteers feel enriched by the encounter and gain personal development/growth. 🔑 How do you think volunteers contribute to the re-humanisation of community and health services? 🔑 How can organisations better use volunteers to maximize their impact on outcomes for stakeholders? 🔑 How are you measuring the outcomes for volunteers? Bronwyn Sheehan OAM Brad Cooper Volunteering Queensland QCOSS Origin Energy Foundation #Volunteers #Volunteering #ValueCreation #SocialImpact #WellBeing #Research #ReHumanisation #LinaKivaka

✨Proud to serve as a Uganda Redcross Volunteer✨ As a Uganda Red Cross Volunteer, I have had the the opportunity to make meaningful impact in my community. From disaster response to health promotion, i have been part of a team that’s dedicated to saving lives. I have had the privilege of serving vulnerable communities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. I got COVID -19 twice in a period of one year. This experience has profoundly impacted me,teaching me valuable lessons in: Resilience: Witnessing communities come together to support each other in the face of adversity has inspired me to be more resilient in my own life. Empathy: Seeing the impact of COVID -19 on families and individuals has deepened my understanding and empathy for those struggling. Community Spirit: Being part of a team that puts the needs of others first has shown me the power of collective action and community spirit. Through my experience, I have developed valuable skills in; 1. Emergency response and first aid 2. Community engagement, mobilization and outreach 3.Teamwor, leadership and collaboration 4.Communication and advocacy 5.Public health education and promotion. Most importantly, I’ve learned the value of compassion, empathy and kindness. Being a Red Cross volunteer has taught me that even the smallest actions can make a big difference in someone’s life. Let’s work together to create a more humane and compassionate society! Humanity needs ME Humanity needs YOU Humanity needs US. #UgandaRedCross60 #Volunteerwork #humanityneedsyou #Humantarian #Communitywork #MakeAdifference”

Many of the concerns we are highlighting this #WorldAlzheimersDay, raised by people with dementia and carers, correlate closely with our #HelsinkiManifesto. European and national organisations, please endorse the Manifesto today and magnify our message https://lnkd.in/eT4fycf3

Care Work- Unpaid Care Work As we power conversations in different spaces lets ensure that the Private Sector is not left behind. The advert below has the ability to undo lots 9f efforts that WROs are currently putting in to see that unpaid care work for instance is redistributed at household level. Its akin to working at cross purposes. A fierce global campaign led by governments and or CSOs would be a good starting points. In Kenya powering one during the December holiday through to April would suffice, this will spark conversations that will begin to look at challenging narratives, changing perceptions, practice and stereotypes around care/ unpaid care work. And much more.

The Role of Volunteer Work in Combating the Growing Loneliness Epidemic In today’s hyper-connected yet often isolating world, the rise of loneliness is a growing issue. Volunteering offers a powerful way to counter this, helping people form social bonds and create a sense of community. Through shared experiences and purpose-driven work, individuals can combat feelings of isolation by engaging with others who share similar values. At ámaxa, we believe in the power of volunteerism to enrich lives, especially in times of growing social disconnection. As highlighted in recent research, "Volunteering can offer lonely individuals an opportunity to build social networks and, in turn, alleviate their sense of loneliness" (Williams, Lakhani, & Spelten, 2024). This underlines the potential of collective efforts to build stronger bonds that transcend isolation. Our mission encourages young people to get involved in volunteer work, not just to benefit their communities, but also to improve their own well-being. Whether through our programs or independent initiatives, giving time to help others is a crucial step toward addressing the loneliness epidemic we face today. To check out our programs and get involved, click here: https://lnkd.in/gF7fi4Um Reference: Williams, T., Lakhani, A. & Spelten, E. Exploring the relationship between loneliness and volunteering amongst Australian adults: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 24, 269 (2024). https://lnkd.in/gjqsfcy5 #CommunityConnection #VolunteerWork #LonelinessAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #GiveBack

Lack of a quality health care infrastructure contributes to Haiti’s generally poor health status. With the majority of Haitians residing in rural areas like Grand-Bois, most don’t have access to even the most basic health services. Because of your generosity, ServeHAITI is changing lives and giving residents the basic health services they need. ⭐ $500 covers the cost of the Health Center’s operations for one day. ⭐ $3,500 covers the cost of the Health Center’s operations for one week. ⭐ $15,000 covers the cost of the Health Center’s operations for one month. These costs include staff salaries, medical supplies, life-saving medications and everything else needed to provide quality health care to our patients. Please visit www.servehaiti.org to learn more about our work and how to get involved! #ServeHAITI #CollaborateWithUs #MakeADifference #PartnershipOpportunities #YouCanHelp #Fundraising #Sponosrship #Partnership #impact #education #empowerment #givingtuesday #bethechange #haiti #GrandBois #healthishope

Is there a cause you are passionate about? Get your church involved. The causes that have been placed on your heart are opportunities to fulfill your God-given calling to serve others. As part of the body of Christ, you can raise awareness about these causes within your own church and mobilize your community to join you in championing these causes. For example, if you are passionate about displaced children, your church can partner with the Global Orphan Project, which connects children and families affected by the foster care system to people who want to help through their online platform called CarePortal. When you raise awareness in your church about these needs, you can build a community of others who want to make a positive, lasting impact and partner with organizations that have the tools to solve the world's greatest problems. The question is this: are you going to respond to this prompting? #ministry #churchcommunity #giveback

Inspiring Initiatives in South Africa that I have come across should you need some help on how or who you can support🌍 Many organisations in South Africa are taking remarkable steps to make a positive impact in their communities by creating very special initiatives this year: - The Haven Night Shelter: This organization is running a campaign called Buy a Bed to help the homeless. For just R75, you can sponsor a bed for 5 nights, providing shelter and support to those in need. - Nelson Mandela Foundation and City of Joburg Cleanup: Residents, corporate giants, community heroes, and government leaders joined forces for a city-wide cleanup, championing environmental stewardship1. - Gauteng’s Health Initiative: This initiative focuses on clearing the surgery backlog, providing much-needed medical care to those in need2. - Chefs with Compassion: This collaboration aims to prepare and distribute nutritious meals to vulnerable communities. Last year, they served over 104,360 liters of soup, and this year, they aim to surpass that achievement3. 🙏 🙏 I also want to acknowledge all the other organisations that I have not named for their efforts. By no means am I diluting their efforts; every contribution is invaluable please know that your efforts have made a profound impact by doing what you do 🙏 🙏 If any of these initiatives resonate with you, I encourage you to reach out and contribute where you can. Together, we can create a better world. Happy Mandela Day ✊🏽 #MandelaDay #CommunityService #SocialImpact #GivingBack #AfricaRising #ProudlySouthAfrican

A wide-ranging plan to strengthen communities facing population decline, including funding for local-led research, initiatives, and community support has been published by The Scottish Government. Projections show that Scotland’s population is set to fall from 2033, with fourteen local authority areas likely to experience population decline over the next decade. The Addressing Depopulation Action Plan will set out the Scottish Government’s strategy to support people to live, work and raise families in the places affected – many of which are rural and island areas. A £180,000 Addressing Depopulation Fund will initially help three acutely affected local authorities trial ways of retaining and attracting people to their communities. The projects to receive funds will be announced later this year. For more information on this important work - and to read the detail of all the recommendations made - please check the link in the comments below ⬇️ #Population #RuralCommunities #IslandCommunities