Page 18 - GDG Annual Report 2021

Annual Report 2021 18 Global Development Group

A Beacon of Hope for All

When Sister Ethel Normoyle arrived in Missionvale township, medication, becomes secondary to it. The project’s communal
South Africa in 1988, she set up a school and clinic under a tree. food gardeners attended training focused on the benefits of
Since that time the activity has grown to include three streams home gardening and subsequently more than 30 families
of education, health and sustainability and employ 60 staff. In signed up for a home garden. Seeds and basic training have
2019, Global Development Group project J1028N Missionvale been distributed, with regular check-ins by the team.
commenced and with Sister Ethel and the team’s tireless work,
While the state schools closed, the project’s 270-student
has provided a beacon of hope for the community throughout
primary school continued to provide education during the
the pandemic.
lockdown. Teachers delivered work to homes and used
Missionvale’s Medical Unit aims to support the strained alternate day learning when students were able to return
government health facilities and treated 1,140 patients across to class at 50% capacity. Despite the challenging learning
the clinic, women’s clinic, optometrist, counselling, support circumstances, 78% of students graduated grade 7 to
and home visits in just the first half of this year. commence High School. The youth development team
conducted outreach activities instead of centre based, and
The pandemic highlighted the importance of basic nutrition
utilised the time to attend online training in asset-based
- by far the most urgent need where everything, even
community development and counselling.

Missionvale medical team supports the community to access
healthcare and advice with home visits.