Tag: medical volunteers

Categories : General Interest PaediatricsTags :

A Decade of Hope and Healing: Surgeons for Little Lives Marks 10 Years of Transforming Paediatric Care

On By ModernMedia

Every day for ten years, Surgeons for Little Lives has stood beside children and families, providing life-saving care and support.

Professor Jerome Loveland, Founder and Chair of Surgeons for Little Lives at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital paediatric surgery department

For the past ten years, Surgeons for Little Lives has stood as a lifeline for thousands of children at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH) in Soweto – the largest hospital in the southern hemisphere. In a healthcare system often stretched to its limits, this dedicated non-profit organisation has filled critical gaps with compassion, resilience and an unwavering belief that every child deserves the best possible care.

Since its founding in 2015, Surgeons for Little Lives has walked hand-in-hand with doctors, nurses, patients and families, not only providing vital resources but transforming the hospital experience for young patients. From upgrading surgical wards and equipment, to nurturing the next generation of paediatric specialists and creating welcoming, family-friendly spaces that offer comfort in the darkest moments – its work has made healing more than just a medical process. It’s become a human one.

“Our first ten years have shown what’s possible when people come together with one shared purpose: to save and uplift the lives of children,” says Professor Jerome Loveland, Founder and Chair of Surgeons for Little Lives. “We are deeply proud of what has been accomplished – but we know the need is growing. That’s why we will continue, every single day, to build capacity, inspire future leaders, and give every child a fighting chance at a brighter future.”

Why this work matters

South Africa has one of the highest burdens of paediatric surgical disease in the region. Children make up nearly 40% of the population, yet there are too few specialists and limited facilities to meet the demand. Severe burns, congenital conditions, childhood cancers and trauma are common, and without surgery many children would not survive.

At CHBAH alone, the paediatric surgery department sees more than 11,000 patients each year and performs over 2,300 operations. Surgeons for Little Lives works closely with the Department of Health to turn overstretched wards into spaces where children can recover with dignity.

3,650 days of achievement

Hospitals can be intimidating places for children. Surgeons for Little Lives has transformed the hospital environment with projects like an outdoor play area for recovering patients, family sleep-over facilities, and a fully revamped Ward 32 with a library, playroom, and upgraded bathrooms. Most recently, the organisation launched the Wells Paediatric Burns Unit, which doubled ICU beds, improved infection control, and added rehab spaces. For families, these changes mean children receive life-saving surgery and care in an environment designed with their needs in mind.

Beyond facilities, Surgeons for Little Lives has created programmes that focus on children’s emotional and physical wellbeing. Healing Through Art & Music gives young patients a way to process trauma through creativity and the SCAN programme, launched in 2023, helps to detect and prevent child abuse. In partnership with the South African Breastmilk Reserve, Surgeons for Little Lives also set up lactation support for new mothers. Other practical initiatives – from discharge packs to Mandela Day donations – have provided small comforts that make a big difference in long hospital stays.

Training for the future

Paediatric surgeons are scarce, and training takes years. Over the past decade, Surgeons for Little Lives has supported the journey of 17 qualified surgeons and backed another 15 registrars currently in training, supplying equipment like surgical loupes and funding access to academic opportunities. In 2024, the first Rolls Royce Oncology Fellow, Dr Andinet Beza from Ethiopia, trained at CHBAH before returning home with new skills. “This initiative, along with other training efforts, is helping to build the next generation of paediatric surgeons equipped to deliver world-class care. Training these specialists is a responsibility we take seriously and a privilege we don’t take for granted,” says Prof Loveland.

Community and partnerships

Community engagement has been central to the success of Surgeons for Little Lives. Fundraising events such as Bara Ride and Joberg2C, together with job shadowing opportunities for young people, have brought South Africans closer to the realities of paediatric care. Volunteers and donors provide not just resources but also comfort to families who spend weeks or months at a child’s bedside.

“This impact has only been possible thanks to the support of partners,” says Prof Loveland. “Contributions from corporates, foundations, and philanthropists have funded essential equipment, upgraded facilities, supported family-centred programmes, and helped fill critical gaps in care, ensuring that more children receive the treatment they need.”

10 years in numbers

  • 11,000+ patients seen in the paediatric surgery department each year
  • 2,300+ operations performed annually at CHBAH
  • 3,000+ burns patients treated since 2015
  • Mortality halved in the burns unit after upgrades
  • ICU beds increased from 6 to 11 in 2025
  • 17 paediatric surgeons trained; 15 registrars in training
  • Hundreds of families supported with sleep-over spaces, counselling, lactation services and more

Join us

Surgeons for Little Lives invites supporters, partners and the wider community to join in building the next chapter. By funding new projects, volunteering time or raising awareness, everyone can help ensure that more children get the surgery and support they deserve.

For its 10th anniversary, the organisation is calling on the public to donate R365 – one rand for every day of the year. In hospital that amount can cover burn dressings for a child, a week of meals for a parent at their child’s bedside or supplies for play therapy to make recovery less frightening, among many other things.

Every rand counts. Every day makes a difference.

For more information or to get involved, visit surgeonsforlittlelives.org.

Categories : General InterestTags :

Embracing the Power of Collective Action on International Volunteer Day 2023

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Zach Vessels on Unsplash

The United Nations International Volunteer Day, celebrated annually on 5 December, is a unique opportunity for volunteers and organisations worldwide to celebrate their contributions, share their values, and promote their work within their communities. The theme for 2023 is: “The Power of Collective Action: If Everyone Did.”

The United Nation’s (UN) fourth State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR 2022), titled Building Equal and Inclusive Societies, shows that the ways in which volunteers and entities interact, collaborate and partner are vital for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Volunteerism plays a crucial role in promoting a culture of collaborative decision-making and reshaping power dynamics. Volunteers can act as connectors, bridging the gap between different groups and facilitating better understanding and cooperation.

“At Sanofi South Africa, we understand the immense value of collective efforts in building a healthier, more resilient world for patients, communities, partners, and employees,” says Prudence Selani, Head of Corporate Affairs at Sanofi South Africa. “Our dedication to addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges is evident in our comprehensive social impact strategy, which is now an integral part of our business, influencing every level of our organisation.”

Sanofi’s ‘Play to Win’ strategy, intensifies the pharmaceutical company’s focus on improving healthcare access, reducing its environmental footprint, and building an inclusive workplace. This commitment extends to ensuring a sustainable planet for future generations.

The organisation is making a lasting impact through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) legacy project in Mamelodi, in the City of Tshwane, which forms part of Sanofi’s global In and Beyond the Workplace social impact strategy pillar – “to reflect the diversity of its communities, unleash the full potential of its employees, and transform healthcare to be more inclusive and equitable.”

After engagement with numerous organisations, Sanofi partnered with Entokozweni Resource Centre in Mamelodi to make a real difference in people’s lives. The non-profit organisation is dedicated to uplifting the Mamelodi community through a variety of programs and initiatives, focusing on long-term developmental goals and immediate community needs​.

“The launch of our Legacy Project on 15 September 2023, at Entokozweni was a resounding success, drawing extensive support from our staff,” says Selani. “We dedicated the day to connecting with the people of Entokozweni and the broader community, marking the beginning of a long-lasting relationship.”

Support for the community includes:

  • Donating essential items such as mattresses, toiletries, stationery, uniforms, and clothing.
  • Providing 250 Coursera licences to empower Mamelodi’s youth with skills for employment and helping to transform the lives of their families and community.
  • Hosting the Mamelodi Community Health Centre’s (CHC) Purpose Day at Entokozweni, focusing on educating the community about gut health and the importance of hygiene.
  • Converting an illegal dumping site into a vibrant indigenous garden during the Sanofi Legal Ethics & Business Integrity department (LEBI) Giving Week, through collaborating with employees, local communities, and various stakeholders.

“As we celebrate International Volunteer Day, we are reminded of the importance of working together to effect real change,” says Selani. “Volunteerism is one of the most vital delivery mechanisms for social, environmental and economic transformation, ensuring a lasting impact because it can change people’s mindsets, attitudes, and behaviours. The power of collective action is not just a theme for a day but a guiding principle in transforming lives through united efforts.”

Join the UN in recognising volunteers all over the world using the hashtags #IfEveryoneDid and #IVD2023. SanofiVolunteers #InternationalVolunteerDay2023 #CollectiveAction #SocialImpact

Categories : Ethics and Law General InterestTags :

Good for the Soul: How Helping Others Reignited my Passion for South Africa

On By ModernMedia
Neil Tabatznik, founder of the Tshemba Foundation

In an opinion piece, Neil Tabatznik reflects on how starting the Tshemba Foundation reignited his passion for his native South Africa.

South Africa is not only the most unequal country in the world, it also does not care well enough for its weak and sick. Its inequitable access to healthcare is iniquitous in many parts of the developing world. But to me, a former South African who left the country during one of South Africa’s darkest periods in history, which was rife with government oppression at the time, it reflects the legacy of apartheid.

Having departed for England in 1971, where I practiced law before leaving for Canada, South Africa became a distant and awful memory: I had planned to leave and never come back.

I stayed away for 36 years and cut all ties with the country.

However, seventeen years ago, I returned to South Africa, for personal reasons: my son’s bar mitzvah. With family dispersed across North America, Europe and Australia, South Africa felt like a central place to congregate. It was during the new, post-apartheid period in South Africa that I fell in love with the country all over again.

I started the Tshemba Foundation in Hoedspruit, Mpumalanga, out of complete selfishness initially: It was an excuse to come back to South Africa, while doing good.

At the time, The Tshemba Foundation approached the provincial health department, pitched the concept and offered to bring skilled medical volunteers to the region – and a partnership was born.

The Foundation operates a medical volunteer programme that serves as a model of public-private partnership in the healthcare sector. Initially, I had reached out to colleagues and friends approaching retirement in the UK and Canada, recognising that they had immense skills, time on their hands, and could easily be enticed to come and help while staying at a lodge we had set up on a game reserve in South Africa. The Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) proved to be a barrier to this idea, because they refused to register any doctor who had left SA during the Apartheid era (intending never to return) demanding that they pay membership fees accruing during the intervening years. Although this barrier remains, we have still been able to recruit hundreds of volunteers from South Africa and abroad.

Designed to connect skilled professionals from the medical and allied professions with a desire to give back to rural communities in need, we have operated out of the Tintswalo Hospital, a 423-bed public hospital, and surrounding clinics, since 2017.

The Foundation relies on medical volunteers to bridge the gaps in patient care in rural Mpumalanga: Professionals who give up their time and expertise to bring value to underprivileged and underserved communities, while supporting existing staff with training, educational opportunities and fresh perspectives. We assist volunteers with HPCSA registration, to allow them to volunteer in South Africa, but they have to make their own way to Mpumalanga and are provided with free lodging.

Tintswalo Hospital is one of the biggest in the province, serving a rural, underserved population of about 300 000. The hospital has no specialist doctor posts, and if any staff member leaves, from groundsman to senior doctor, it is extremely difficult to replace them due to severe budgetary constraints.

Our “leave of purpose” programme recruits both local and international medics to volunteer their services in these rural areas. They cover a wide range of disciplines, from generalists and dentists to ophthalmologists that perform cataract surgeries and specialist researchers who are spearheading a rural ultrasound project.

Our flagship projects, offered in partnership with the Mpumalanga Department of Health and Tintswalo Hospital, are a state-of-the-art eye clinic and cataract operating theatre, which screens and remedies common, treatable eye diseases, and the Hlokomela Women’s Clinic where pap smears, cryotherapy, and breast, pelvis, abdomen and pregnancy ultrasounds are offered. Women no longer need to travel vast distances to receive screening and treatment: they can get such specialist care at Tintswalo.

Tshemba’s eye clinic volunteers have helped over 700 elderly patients – many of whom were being cared for by grandchildren and other family members, thereby depriving them of access to education and employment.

The programme would not have been possible without the cooperation and enthusiasm of medics, the community, the Mpumalanga Department of Health and international benefactors.

To date, we have attracted about 200 local and global volunteers, mostly from the US, Canada, Europe and Australia, who have devoted the equivalent of over 9,000 healthcare professional days, treated 19,630 patients and held 294 training sessions. These training sessions not only assist local healthcare professionals with continuing professional development and informal clinical teaching, but they also ensure that the Foundation makes a lasting and sustainable impact on the quality of rural healthcare.

Now, the challenge is to make The Tshemba Foundation sustainable. We are registering it as a charity in the UK, Canada and the United States, but we need more support.

We hope to strengthen our relationship with the province to improve healthcare, without flooding hospitals with volunteers. Instead, we would like to build on the power of the clinics by posting medics to smaller healthcare centres.

Our work makes a real difference, not only in the lives of the communities who lack access to healthcare that people in urban centres take for granted, but also in the lives of those who volunteer their services.