Caring for the elderly is both a rewarding and demanding vocation, especially when it is your daily responsibility. Nobody knows and appreciates this better than the dedicated team at the SAVF Evanna Home for the Elderly.
Thanks to the Iwisa No 1 Fills Good campaign, caregivers will now be able to benefit from group “Circles of Care” sessions in the build-up to the end of the year. Hosted by a qualified life-coach, the sessions will support and acknowledge the team’s invaluable contribution while providing them with practical tools and techniques to care for themselves.
Based in Hartbeesfontein just outside Klerksdorp, the SAVF Evanna Home for the Elderly provides a home for 85 permanent residents “This is all made possible through our team of 36 staff – many of whom have been with the Home for over 24 years,” explains Theresa Cronje, Facility Manager of SAVF Evanna Home for the Elderly.
When the Home was announced as Overland Powertrade’s beneficiary of the Iwisa No 1 Fills Good campaign earlier this year, the SAVF Evanna team immediately decided to ringfence the funds raised towards planned maintenance of the facilities and infrastructure. “While all of Iwisa No 1’s campaign efforts are going towards contributing to this total, we’re very mindful that it’s far more than bricks and mortar that have made SAVF Evanna the very special place it is,” says Sibongile Mooko, Premier FMCG Marketing Executive: Milling. “This is why we’ve reached out to our value chain partners and suppliers. We’ve asked them to see where they can raise their hands and enable the Home’s vision to provide quality compassionate care. We’re excited about the responses we are already starting to receive.”
One of these is an offer to support care-givers and the Home’s staff with a group life-coaching intervention. Adam Botha from Your Mindful Coach will be facilitating a “Circles of Care” initiative for them focusing on the importance of balance, patience, kindness and self-care – principles that are often overlooked by those who dedicate their lives to the well-being of others. “These sessions will help to replenish their emotional and physical reserves, ensuring the team remains resilient and well-supported in their roles,” says Cronje.
Given the physical and emotional demands of working with elderly residents, this initiative serves as a much-needed reminder that caregivers’ well-being is just as important as the care they provide. “The Circles of Care programme is about focusing on the caregivers themselves – giving them the tools to manage stress, maintain emotional balance, and replenish their capacity. Each session will be built around specific themes, such as mindfulness, emotional resilience, and self-compassion, offering practical strategies to restore energy and promote mental health,” she adds. “They will be reminded to practice kindness toward themselves, as well as toward others. It’s about making sure they have the strength and resilience to continue doing the incredible work they do every day.”
Mooko notes that this intervention speaks directly to the intention of the campaign and to the heart of the Iwisa No 1 brand: “Iwisa No 1 is a legacy brand – built on the power of community in communities where we are privileged to be part of daily life. Our products ‘witness’ key family moments including celebrations with grandparents, aunts and uncles. ‘Fills Good’ is all about capturing those moment and amplifying them. This is why we’re encouraging people to continue supporting SAVF Evanna’s vision of providing the best possible dignity and care through the campaign. We need everyone’s assistance to make this possible.”
Until the end of November, each purchase of Iwisa No 1 products at Overland Powertrade will see a percentage of the purchase price allocated to the Home.
“We’re calling on like-minded brands, corporates and other partners to come forward and assist wherever they can to ensure that elderly members of the community can receive the appropriate specialist care they need,” she concludes.