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Sep 04
An integrated approach to community development: A day in the life of Mondli Shelembe – Driver Mobiliser and Peer Educator

by Siyabonga Gema, HST Communications Officer

 

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Mondli Shelembe, SA SURE PRO Driver Mobiliser and Peer Educator, says that his eight-year service at Health Systems Trust (HST) has been highlighted by seeing the fruits of his labour through men engaging with healthcare services freely, without fearing stigma.

Mondli is based in Zululand District, where he brings critical health services to the mostly rural communities surrounding Abaqulusi Sub-district. Mondli's passion for community work is driven by the desire to see underprivileged communities being developed and fully capacitated to be able to improve their living conditions. With a community development career spanning over 10 years, Mondli embodies 'active citizenry'.


What, in your view, is the biggest challenge in providing health services in some communities?

"One of the biggest challenges to men's access to healthcare is stigma and there is still a mammoth task ahead of us in addressing this issue. Men's mental health needs greater attention and in my observation, men are usually impatient when they come to health facilities and often look for 'quick fixes'. In my role, I always seek to infiltrate the hard-to-reach areas and conduct health talks where we address their concerns and try to deal with the reasons preventing them from engaging with health services."

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Mondli facilitating a community Imbizo at Mondlo in Zululand


Other than your current role at HST, what other skills do you have?

"I have vast experience in youth and community development, and have always endeavoured to integrate my skills with my role at HST. I am an experienced facilitator and have handled functions for HST and the Department of Health in my district. I also have training skills that I acquired during my time before joining HST and some of the programmes I have been involved in include youth coaching programmes. Another skill that I possess is team building, which also dates back to my time before joining HST. All my skills are interlinked, and have contributed immensely in allowing me to effectively carry out my duties at HST."

 What does your typical day at work look like?

"My morning routine starts off with a full vehicle safety inspection. This is vitally important to do, as my and my passengers' safety depends on it. To ensure that I have a productive day, I don't choose tasks according to my job description only, and I try to chip in if my assistance is needed. As the day progresses and challenges arise, I try my best to come up with innovative ideas on how we can ensure that our community work is carried out and that we leave a positive mark on the communities we serve. As a health promoter, one of my key functions is engaging communities and educating them on positive health choices while empowering them to be able to share the knowledge further."

 Before joining HST, what roles did you hold?

"I was previously an Medical Male Circumcision (MMC) Co-ordinator where I conducted community training sessions, educating men on the benefits of taking up voluntary MMC. Part of my role also entailed co-ordinating clinics where communities accessed these services. I have also been privileged to work with the corporate sector where I organised leadership camps and team-building sessions."

What future aspirations do you have?

"I am passionate about uplifting and empowering others, so I see myself as being in the training sector where I will be involved with upskilling employees and assisting them to better themselves in their crafts. I also have the desire to be more involved in the development of community health programmes."

When not busy at HST, what do you do in your spare time?

"If I am not at work, I am busy in my community working with the youth. I facilitate youth training programmes at my church and this keeps me very busy, even during my spare time. I love what I do, so it does not feel like work to me. I always look forward to my time off from work because I get the opportunity to interact with the youth, which is something I truly enjoy."

What give you fulfilment about working at HST?

"This is a wonderful organisation to work for because we have programmes that directly contribute to improved health for the communities in which we work. A good example is the back-to-care programme, through which we have managed to attract men back to the health system and ensure that they have access to health services. The high volumes of men that we reach through this programme is truly inspiring, and it makes me very proud to have played my part in making a difference."


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