By Desire Wright | Human Resources Manager
From floods to tears of joy – this summer at Hlokomela has been a real roller coaster. We thank our GlobalGiving family for providing us with the staying power to keep marching on and provide excellent health care where so many others have failed.
Palliative Care course
Hlokomela nurses and counsellors attended the Introduction to Palliative Care Course for Professionals at Hlokomela Blyde Clinic during December 2025. The training was facilitated by CHOICE Trust. We are excited to assist the Hoedspruit and Maruleng communities with palliative care - a specialised medical approach aimed at improving the quality of life for individuals and families facing serious, life-limiting illnesses such as breast cancer.
Palliative care provides relief from pain and other symptoms by addressing physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs. This type of care can be offered at any stage of an illness and can be provided alongside curative treatments. Its focus is on helping people live as fully and comfortably as possible.
Elderly chronic patients find relief
Thanks to donations received during February 2026 we were able to provide Hlokomela Health Cards (which gives the holder 12 month’s access to free nurse based consultations and highly affordable doctor’s consultations, amongst many other services) to two elderly patients suffering from chronic conditions. *Steven and *Alice were due for renewal of their Hlokomela Health Cards but could not afford to do so. They were however crying with tears of joy when presented with two sponsored cards! They first started coming to Hlokomela one year ago. At that point Steven was in such a poor state that he was confined to a wheelchair and completely unable to speak even a single word. Thanks to the high quality care and treatment he receives at Hlokomela, his chronic condition has improved so much that he is slowly taking a few steps at a time and can even speak a few words again. “I am very proud that we have been able to change their lives and really help them” says Goodwill Masinga, Hlokomela’s Client Liaison Officer.
Men’s health awareness event
While we place a lot of focus on breast cancer awareness at Hlokomela, we do not leave the men behind. On 28 November 2025 the clinic hosted the annual “Boeries for prostates” men’s health awareness day in Hoedspruit. Despite the adverse weather forecast, we had a great turnout. Prostate cancer screening, along with blood pressure, blood glucose and HIV tests were done for 62 men.
African Health Excellence Awards
Hlokomela was awarded First Runner-Up in the Institution of the Year category at the African Health Excellence Awards in November 2025.
This annual event recognises and celebrates excellence across the African healthcare sector, honouring the individuals, organisations, and initiatives that make an extraordinary impact on healthcare on our continent.
We are incredibly proud of our small NGO for achieving this remarkable recognition. The winner in our category was the Victoria Mxenge Hospital (formerly King Edward Hospital) in Durban – a large and well-established institution. To be placed alongside such a major hospital is a tremendous honour for Hlokomela.
This achievement reflects the dedication, passion, and hard work the last 20 years of our entire team.
Flooding destroys crops
During January 2026 Hoedspruit experienced severe flooding. This affected our sustainability project – the Hlokomela Herb Garden – where all crops were destroyed due to too much rain and too little sun. The effect was devastating as we went from a gross income of R65 000 in December 2025 to zero income in February 2026. The Herb Garden is not a funded project, so losing all income is a disaster for the 6 full-time employees caring for the garden. We are in desperate need of support here.
Living with wounds for 14 years – patient finds healing at Hlokomela
On 6 February 2026 *John (96-years-old) walked into Hlokomela Clinic for the first time. John had been suffering from stubborn wounds on his leg since 2012, failing to find relief from the traditional healers that he had always trusted. He believed that he would never be rid of these wounds until a friend told him that “Hlokomela heals people”. John decided to come to Hlokomela Clinic, 35km from his home. On the way, he passed a hospital and four other clinics, because he trusted what he had heard about Hlokomela. Constance Ngobeni, a counsellor at Hlokomela Clinic, is not new to being presented with troublesome wounds. Under the guidance of doctors and nurses, she cleaned and dressed his wounds 3 times a week. On 24 March 2026 for the first time in 14 years – she was happy to report that the wounds have started to heal. Truly, Hlokomela brings healing to our community.
Clinic staff team building at Koru Camp
From the breath taking game drives to the fun and meaningful team building activities, every moment reminded us of the importance of connection — with nature, with one another, and with our shared purpose. Koru Camp helped us weave our clinic values of care, respect, teamwork, and integrity into each activity. It was inspiring to see these values come alive in such a beautiful setting.
*Pseudonyms used to protect patients' identities.
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By Desire Wright | Human Resources Manager
By Carissa Stoltz | Clinical Manager
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