Cape Town - Many South Africans have been celebrating the story of Dr Raoul Goldberg and Lulama Gomana, commenting on how their bond has inspired them.
Goldberg has been putting away a portion of his retirement savings in order to build a house for Gomana, his domestic worker of 25 years.
Together with international volunteers, Habitat for Humanity will be building a house in Delft for Gomana, 54, a single mother of two, who lives in a shack with her children, two grandchildren and her late brother’s two children in Delft.
Day two of construction work is taking place with Habitat for Humanity volunteers, Global Village volunteers from Thrivent, and the Path to Health teams currently on site.
“This joint partnership with Habitat for Humanity is just the most exciting event. It brings together all these wonderful human beings all focused on helping to create a home for a very beautiful person, Lulama who has been my employee for over 25 years. We are just ecstatic about the possibility of this thing unfolding,” said Dr Goldberg.
Gomana added: “I’m feeling really so happy. With the help of my colleagues at work and patients who helped me to contribute and help with what is happening at my place. Everything is so exciting because I’ve never been to a big building site. We’ve been carrying the bricks making the row and carrying the bricks to where the building is happening… putting the bricks on top of the foundation. We made yesterday (Monday) five rows in my house.”
Dana Smirin, Director of Path to Health, said: “We believe that it takes a champion and an organisation to drive it and this was volunteer patients and volunteer staff over a three year period. In November I called Habitat for Humanity SA in desperation to help us find a builder as we couldn't find a reliable builder who we trusted and who wouldn't run off with our money and our partnership came into fruition very fast.”
“It's wonderful. I’m glad I can give to her because I know she’ll enjoy the house that we’re building,” added Habitat for Humanity volunteer Jim Arnold from Alabama, USA.
On social media, the reactions to the story of Dr Goldberg and Gomana have been very positive:
Many South Africans have been celebrating the story of Dr Raoul Goldberg and Lulama Gomana, commenting on how their bond has inspired them. Picture: Screengrab
Anna van Vuuren: "This is wonderful...If you are in a position to help, it is your duty then to do so."
Mickey Samuels: "Amazing, what a blessing."
Alexandra Nett: "Oh what a blessing Dr Goldberg is. Please make this go viral so that many others may follow the trend. Show this to the uncaring ruling party who are too busy stuffing their pockets so full that their bloody gravy train needs extra engines to move them along."
The organization has encouraged employers to find out more about the living conditions of their domestic workers and engage in discussions around this.
To find out more about the Domestic Worker-Employer supported Housing Project, contact [email protected]