DURBAN - A LOCAL interfaith community initiative has been praised for displaying a spirit of ubuntu by providing support to Covid-19 patients of all faiths as part of its initiative to stop the spread of the virus.
“This brilliant initiative of the Habibiya Covid Crisis Care in Shallcross must be applauded. These are selfless individuals who saw the need to get involved and make a difference as the Chatsworth area continued to be a hotspot almost a year into Covid-19,” said community activist, Omi Nair.
“At the beginning of January many areas in Chatsworth and Shallcross were without water. The realisation of the ramifications that the water outages would have on Covid-19 positive patients dawned, especially as we were in a pandemic and into the second wave.
“Steps were immediately put into place to alleviate the pressure on the hard hit community. The community was hit with the water crisis for seven days and more in several areas.”
Besides opening their doors and boreholes for the community, they also took it upon themselves to fill Jojo tanks and flow bins to get water to the people by delivering it to their doors, as most people did not have the means to transport the water.
Nair said Chatsworth is a middle income area and the job losses took their toll on residents. “After being tested positive, residents did not have the means to get themselves immune boosters and wholesome meals, essential to fight off the virus. The daily death rate was increasing and something needed to be done to rein it in.
“Together with civil society joining this initiative with donations and manpower, a Covid-19 immune booster pack was designed. They went further and added fruit, vegetables and a hot meal to the daily mix and this was delivered to patients’ doors.
“The whole idea was to help people fight the virus in their homes without having the need to go for assistance to the hospital, which was already strained with overworked staff and lack of beds and resources,” Nair said.
Sponsors were found to supply oximeters and oxygen concentrators. “Come hail, rain or shine, day or night, the volunteers were running around with hot meals, booster packs and assessing those who required oxygen.”
Mergan Chetty, DA MP and deputy leader in KZN, said: “These religious community leaders have taken it upon themselves to assist those who have been affected by the coronavirus by supplying them with medication, food on a daily basis, vitamins and hampers.
“The Habibiya Musjid and religious leaders have proven their worth in spite of the government’s failure to ensure that those affected by Covid-19 are provided with what they need at this time,” he said.
Project leader Kader Goolam said they had to do something outside of the mosque’s usual feeding schemes when they realised the depth of the Covid-19 crisis while assisting with the water crisis.
He said they have a group of doctors who advised them on a course of pain medication, cough mixture, vitamins and immune boosters for Covid-19 patients and this 10 day-course. “We give families hot meals, and have only used mutton, chicken and vegetables because some of our Hindu community do not eat beef and we have to be considerate of that,” Goolam said.
Families received groceries, and a fruit and vegetable pack for the week, as well as a cooked meal of chicken or mutton akni, dhall gosh, vegetable breyani or a chicken stew.
The small team delivers locally but does not turn anyone in need away and expands their reach due to the need in Phoenix, Clairwood, uMlazi, Pietermaritzburg and even Umzinto.
“It’s so sad, people are physically, mentally and emotionally broken, elderly people are alone, their families are too scared to visit. So we are committed to them and even go out at midnight if someone is in need of oxygen,” he said.
Rev Michael Padayachee from All Nations Ministry in Northdene also joined forces with the mosque. “When we worked to help people with water we saw that Covid positive families didn’t have water and also didn’t have medication and immune boosters, oximeters.
“They would have been hospitalised if they didn’t get the proper care. We did not want more stress on the hospitals. People were getting sick everywhere we turned, and we had to do something. Whatever sponsorship we get goes back to the people. Initially it was more than 1 000 families, now there’s about 300 we are taking care of, so we are encouraged that people are getting better,” he said.
Eugene Ishwarlall, a Covid-19 survivor who was assisted by the initiative, has now become a volunteer. “Contracting Covid was the worst experience of my life. That pain of a drowning feeling you have when you aren’t able to breathe is something I don’t wish on my worst enemy.
“God is good and I am walking around, with a new lease of life, I want to pay it forward and I am totally dedicated to assisting people, once you have experienced it you would want to help others, even if it is 2am because I know what it feels like when you are not able to breathe,” Ishwarlall said.
The Mercury