Sibaya Community Trust has handed over an updated six-bed accommodation facility to the organization CANSA KZN. This initiative helps cancer patients who travel to Durban for specialized treatment have a safe place to stay.
During the handover ceremony, Vivian Reddy, founder and chairperson of Sibaya Community Trust, emphasized that the project goes far beyond mere infrastructure. She stated that it is about people, dignity, compassion, and hope, recognizing that a person's fight against cancer is not limited to the hospital ward.
Reddy noted that cancer affects almost everyone, and many families face severe losses due to this disease. She pointed out the immense difficulties faced by patients living far from Durban, as they must travel long distances to access medical care and remain in the city for weeks or longer.
She added that at a time of physical and emotional vulnerability, the patient's last concern should not be about a place to sleep, transportation, or the financial ability to stay in the city. Therefore, Sibaya Community Trust is proud to have contributed to the modernization of this facility and increased its capacity to accommodate six patients.
Reddy explained that the handover reflects the Trust's philosophy, which is that philanthropy should not be limited to one-off aid but should aim at creating long-term benefits through social infrastructure that provides patients with a safe and dignified place for treatment.
Strengthening local organizations
Reddy also highlighted the support for non-profit and community organizations. She reported that hundreds of such organizations conduct vital work in areas such as fighting hunger, poverty, disability, healthcare, education, gender-based violence, child welfare, and community development, often operating with limited resources.
In the view of Sibaya Community Trust, supporting these organizations is an investment in the communities they serve.
Nearly 300 million invested in social development
The Trust's chairperson announced that the Sibaya Community Trust's humanitarian and social development program supported over 200 beneficiaries, allocating funds approaching 300 million Rand. These investments covered infrastructure development, healthcare, education, support for people with disabilities, youth empowerment, NGOs, community development, poverty reduction, and humanitarian aid.
Despite the significance of this amount, Reddy believes that the true measure of their work is the number of lives touched.
Deputy Minister highly praised the initiative
The opening ceremony was attended by Mmapasekela Steve Letsike, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities. She expressed delight at this touching initiative and commended Reddy for his extensive humanitarian work under his leadership.
Letsike stressed the importance of centers like CANSA KZN and urged other corporations to support projects that provide significant assistance to vulnerable groups. She also noted that every person deserves respectful treatment.
CANSA: 'A very necessary facility'
Lisa Strydom, National Manager for Care and Support at CANSA, thanked Sibaya Community Trust for the modernized facility, noting that additional accommodation is extremely necessary for patients traveling from afar for treatment. She described the range of services provided by CANSA, including accommodation and other essential assistance.
Strydom also pointed to the constant need for such facilities, especially for adolescent cancer patients who require special care and support conditions. Patient Zimasa Niyikinya-Myeki shared her experience battling cancer, noting how CANSA KZN significantly eased her journey by providing accommodation, food, and transport.
This account underscored the importance of comprehensive patient support and demonstrated the enormous impact organizations like CANSA can have on patients and their families during one of life's most difficult periods.
The new six-bed facility provides cancer patients traveling to Durban with a safe place to stay, while simultaneously reducing the financial and emotional burden associated with treatment away from home. For Sibaya Community Trust, this project is another example of commitment to creating sustainable social infrastructure and partnering with organizations that change the lives of vulnerable people. CANSA KZN is located at 619 Umbilo Road, Durban.