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Registration No.
008-840 NPO - PBO 930019663
This project is sponsored by National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.
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Business
Suite @ El Mizpah Ademaine Uitenhage Road
Withoogte
Nelson Mandela Metro
South Africa.
6000 |
Telephone:
+27 (0)41 9555798
Facsimile: +27 (0)0866241623
E-mail: info@rohasa.org. |
P.O.Box
12832
Centrahil
South Africa.
6006 |
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Mental illness is indiscriminate. It can affect anyone. A balanced
lifestyle, in which sport and exercise play an important part, is of
the essence to maintain mental health.
The road to success depend on
awareness and taking responsibility for your own wellbeing. This is
the rationale behind our programmes.
Our
clients fall into two categories: those who are healthy in mind and
body (awareness campaigns) and those that live with long-term
illness such as psychiatric conditions, HIV/AIDS, diabetes and TB
(therapeutic services). |
NEWSLETTER
The latest edition of the ROHA newsletter is
available for download below. Feedback on the newsletter is
welcome.
Hope you find it interesting and informative.
ROHA NEWS
- Spring 2009
IN THE MEDIA
Click on the
link below to read the
article on Healing Spirit.
Algoa Sun on 23 April 2009 |
WHAT DOES
ROHA DO?
As
its name states ROHA focuses on providing therapeutic services
and personal development that will restore the abilities lost
through mental illness, disability and neglect.
Our
programmes are aimed at providing therapeutic services to the
sufferers of mental illness, HIV/AIDS patients and their caregivers
and creating awareness of mental illness and its management.
THERAPEUTIC
SERVICES
Support
Group Programme
The
programme was designed for psychiatric patients, but is now also
used for HIV/AIDS groups. Group sessions varies according to the
needs of a particular group and entails alternating discussion
groups, art and crafts sessions, life skills training, group
counselling, social events, sporting activities and outings.

Members of a support
group having fun during an outing
We
encourage participants to use the group as a vehicle for
life-changing self-empowerment, instead of as an excuse for a 'pity
party'. Limited social relief is offered to group members as
required. This
may take the form of financial aid, food parcels and clothing.
Counselling
Our
counselling service is open to the general public and is offered
free of charge. Counselling is either done face-to-face or
telephonically. Style of counselling varies according to the need of
the individual client. Sessions may be non-directive or remedial, ie
coupled with life skills training if necessary.
EDUCATIONAL
SERVICES
Mental
Health Awareness Campaigns
In
addition to newsletters and public talks, we make use of radio
interviews to address mental health issues. ROHA has
launched its biggest mental health awareness to date, the play
titled "Life's Little Lessons".
Life's
Little Lessons – a mental health awareness play
The
play tells the story of Mike Khosi, who suffers from Schizophrenia,
and the effect this has in and on his family and their community
life. Mike is persuaded to seek help to manage his illness, regains
his social and occupational functioning after treatment at the
psychiatric hospital and is re-absorbed into broader society.
The
purpose of the play is to create awareness about various mental
illnesses, plead for the de-stigmatization of the mentally ill and
offers a message of hope that mental illness can be managed to allow
some sufferers to lead productive and happy lives despite their
illness.
The
play was performed at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown
- 25 Jun to 5 July 2008.
The
play will be travelling to schools in the Eastern Cape early 2009.
The play is supplemented with informative workshops for teachers and
community members on mental health issues and counselling skills.
This is especially relevant in the rural areas where mental health
services are limited or nonexistent. To arrange for the play to be
performed at your school or community centre, please contact us by
fax or email with your request.
Since
this programme focuses on school goers, it will travel to schools in
urban and rural communities in the Eastern Cape during 2008. The
play will be complemented by informative workshops for teachers and
community members to receive training as lay counsellors and
information on various mental illness and a balanced lifestyle to
disseminate to scholars.
The play is largely
sponsored by The National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund. The
play has been filmed on stage in Grahamstown for distribution
further afield. The DVD is available at a nominal cost to ensure
that the message of the play reaches the broadest possible
audience. Please contact us for your copy.
Seminars
& workshops
We
host informational seminars and workshops on various subjects. This
year the focus is on counselling skills and on types of mental
illness, their symptoms, prevention, treatment and management. The
seminars & workshops are presented free of charge to teachers,
community groups and community health care volunteers.

Children participating in ACVV PE Central's President Awards
Programme attended lifeskills
training in conflict management and a fabric painting workshop.
Internships
In
order to bridge the gap between theory and practice, we offer
internships ranging from 2 weeks to 1 year to tertiary level
students. In the past we have hosted psychology, sociology and
development studies students. During 2008 we are hosting a group of
media studies students from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan
University. The students are assisting us with upgrading ROHA's
public image ie re-branding ROHA. They are also responsible for
editing the DVD of the play to broadcasting standards. We gratefully
acknowledge their hard work and commitment to our organisation.
COMMUNITY
SERVICES
Sisters
of Mercy
The
Sisters of Mercy is a special programme administered by ROHA. It
provides a support group and counselling service to people, mainly
young women, living with HIV/AIDS. This programme is based in Govan
Mbeki Location in Port Elizabeth and is run by Mrs Julia Tapi.

Clients of the HIV/AIDS support group in Govan Mbeki Location
A
soup kitchen is also administered under this programme, which
provides soup for 150 people, including children, the unemployed and
the infirm (people living with HIV/AIDS and TB).
Social
Relief Services
Although no fixed budget exist for Social Relief Services, we do
provide financial assistance in the form of food, clothes,
electricity cards, etc. to ROHA clients who are in dire need. Aid is
provided as our resources allow and at the discretion of the
Director.
Training
Workshops
Upon
invitation from other NPO's and at a negotiated fee or donation we
provide life skills training, such as conflict management and
communication skills, and craft training to women, children and
youth groups.
Learnership Programmes
We
offer assistance and skills training to community health groups who
wish to establish programmes to meet the needs of their communities.
During 2008 we are mentoring an HIV/AIDS group from Zwide location,
named Ngomso Youth Foundation. This organisation was founded by ROHA
Vice Chairman, Lulama Ngqungwana, with the purpose of preventing
HIV/AIDS infection amongst teenagers in her community.
The group will receive management training and assistance with the
documentation necessary to gain registration as an NPO.
PAST
SUCCESSES
Central Support Group, 2000-2007. Dozens of clients who have
been affected by debilitating mental illness have been assisted with
informational, emotional and financial support. Although the ratio
of clients who get well and stay well are relatively small, clients
who have stayed with the programme after their recovery have
continued to do well in their private and social life.
Learnership Programme, 2005-6. Creative Young Women, Port St.
Johns. We have provided this HIV/AIDS self-help group with
much-needed counselling and group facilitation skills and gardening
equipment for their food garden.
Mental Illness in the Workplace Seminar, 2002. We provided
training for employers, personnel practitioners and recruitment
agencies regarding mental illness (its effects and treatment) and
the rights and obligations of employees, as well as that of
employers with staff living with mental illness.
Hospital
Programme, Oncology, 2003-7. We presented fabric painting
workshops to hospitalised psychiatric and oncology patients. The
workshops had a positive effect on the recovery of patients and
provides us with a point of departure to offer emotional and
informational support to patients and their families. Between 500
and 2000 patients benefited from this service per annum. The
programme is temporarily suspended to accommodate the mental health
awareness play.
Hospital Programme, Elizabeth Donkin, 2000-3. We have provided
fabric painting workshops to hospitalised psychiatric at the
Elizabeth Donkin Hospital during those times when no occupational
therapist was available on the staff due to budgetary shortages. We
have also assisted with the training of new staff to take over this
service from ROHA.
Sport for Mental Health Programme, 2002-3. The former Director,
Mr Quentin Beningfield, initiated a soft ball programme at a Port
Elizabethan school for children with severe disabilities. Seven
hundred children benefited from this programme.
Children's Programmes, 2005-6. We have provided counselling,
life skills training and craft workshops for individual children or
groups who were affected by divorce and family violence.
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OUR PHILOSOPHY FOR REHABILITATION
Mental Health
Rehabilitation is a lengthy process. The word
rehabilitation itself means 'to re-educate'.
Rehabilitation therefore refers to the process by which
the sufferer of mental or other long term illness learns
to cope with their illness. A patient must learn to
adjust to the effects of the illness and treatment (such
as medication) on their social and occupational
functioning. One of the greatest adjustments facing a
patient and their family lies in accepting that they now
have to manage a long term illness that may require life
style changes.
ROHA's support group
programme is aimed at providing support to sufferers and
their caregivers. This includes mainly emotional and
informational support, but the client may also require
financial assistance.
Clients who share
similar conditions are invited to participate in a one
to two year programme that entails discussion groups
about the illness, art and craft workshops and life
skills training.
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A word from Adelle Potgieter, writer of ROHA's
support group programme:
Two of
the most important skills we teach our clients is
balanced lifestyle management and dealing
with emotion. We include this information here
in the hope that more people will benefit from it
than just our patients and clients.
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Balanced Lifestyle Management
A balanced lifestyle includes activity
in seven spheres of human activity. They
are:
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Economic activities – what we do to
earn money.
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Social activities – interacting
socially in an interpersonal or
group setting.
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Civic activities – participating in
civic duties like voting during
elections.
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Spiritual or religious activities –
doing daily devotions, praying and
attending religious meetings.
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Educational activities – improving
one's knowledge, either through
self-study or formal studies and
training workshops.
-
Sport and recreational activities –
playing sport, practicing a hobby or
relaxing (ie watching a movie or a
walk in the park).
-
Cultural activities – participating
in cultural activities like dancing.
A person who is in good mental and
physical health tend to have activities
(whether daily, weekly, monthly,
annually, etc) in most or all of the
seven categories. A person who suffers
from debilitating mental illness may be
active in less than half of the
categories. For overall wellbeing, one
needs to be active in most of these
areas on a regular basis. This model is
therefore a useful tool to gauge the
general health of one's lifestyle.
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Dealing with Emotion
Feelings of anger, frustration,
hopelessness, fear and sadness is the
cause of or aggravates certain mental
illness or simply result in a poorer
quality of life experience. What to do
with emotion, how to use it to one's
benefit, is a basic life skill that is
seldom taught.
So what is the purpose of emotion? Don't
know the answer? Most people don't.
I've drawn blank stares from psychology
majors on this question! The answer is
at least twofold:
The purpose of emotion is to save one's
life or enhance the quality of one's
life. Here is an example of each: If you
want to take a shortcut through a quiet
ally late at night in a questionable
neighbourhood, you will experience fear.
It tells you that you may be risking
life and limb if you take that route and
prepares you to deal with the
consequence (to fight or flee) if your
choice proved a poor one. So here, the
purpose is to try to save your life.
Here is another example: When you are
unhappy at work, you may start to feel
depressed when you walk into the office.
Here the purpose of the emotion is not
to save your very life (not yet anyway),
but to enhance the quality of your life.
The emotion may be telling you that you
need to find another job where you can
be happy and fulfilled.
Dealing with emotion is like peeling an
onion layer by layer. There are four
steps in dealing constructively with
emotion.
The first is identifying the emotion. Be
honest about what you feel: anger, fear,
love, hate, sadness, joy, loneliness,
anxiety, distrust, guilt, shame, etc.
Then identify the trigger action – what
happened to cause this feeling?
The third layer is to identify the
underlying human need that is in play in
that situation. Maslow's basic human
needs theory says that all people have
the need for sustenance, safety and
security, love and belongingness, self
esteem and self actualization. (These
needs include things like the need for
food, shelter, love, recognition,
respect, justice, freedom, etc.) Only
once a person has established which need
or needs are at stake (for preserving
one's life or enhancing the quality of
life) can an appropriate behavioural
response be chosen to achieve it.
Without this personal insight, behaviour
can become irrational, dysfunctional and
potentially destroy life or life
quality.
Conversely, knowing what you feel, why
you feel it and what underlying need is
at stake, one can formulate a plan of
action (after due consideration of one's
options) to achieve the desired results.
Hopefully, one's behavioural choices
will meet the need whilst also improving
one's interpersonal relationships and
promoting peaceful co-existence.
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THE ROHA TEAM
WHAT
MOTIVATES US?
ROHA
was founded and is mainly staffed by people who have been affected
by mental illness - either by experiencing an illness or by dealing
with relatives or friends who suffer from a mental illness. We aim
to fill the great need for therapeutic services to the poor and help
people with mental disabilities to lead fulfilling lives.
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ROHA... Awareness, Attitude,
Consciousness
by Tsireletso Letsebe
We often take a lot of things for
granted in life, such as the power or
words and language. Every day we chant
and chat recklessly without knowing the
implications and deeper, alternate
meanings of the words we use. But
really, what is in a word? We spent
hours on end trying to come up with a
slogan for ROHA and this enormous task
made us appreciate that in every word
lies a rich meaning and more
importantly, that words should never be
just taken at face value. In the end we
concurred that the words AWARENESS,
ATTITUDE and CONSCIOUSNESS resonate with
the mandate of ROHA and its course, and
therefore settled to make this our
slogan.
'Awareness' ties with the objective of
ROHA, which is essentially to educate
and sensitise society about mental
health issues. Among other things, ROHA
aims to make the public aware that if
people seek help and families do not
hide the sick, mental illness can be
treated and people can go back to
leading normal lives.
'Attitude' is an opinion or general
feeling about something. This is
intended to change people's perception
to show them that mental illness is just
a condition like any other and those
suffering from it should not be
discriminated against, let alone be
stigmatized, which is currently very
common in many societies. There attitude
change is a critical factor in ROHA's
work.
'Consciousness' is being aware of what
is going on around you and with this
knowledge one could go a long way in
empowering people to understand and
appreciate this condition. Being
conscious of something also prompts
those conscious to respond to issues,
which is essentially the objective of
ROHA. Therefore from this day, ROHA will
strive even further to achieve its
goals, with the Awareness, Attitude and
Consciousness highly visible in all its
work.
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WE NEED YOUR
SUPPORT
If you
would like to support our work by making a financial contribution,
our banking details are as follows:
Account name: ROHA
Bank: Standard Bank of SA
Branch code: 050417
Account No.: 080320643
Swift Code: SBZA JJ ZA
PLEASE NOTE: All donations to our charity are tax
deductible for SA donors and companies, because we are registered as
a Public Benefit Organisation with the South African Revenue
Service.
This Project is funded by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.
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