YourStory – Eve makes a difference at Duduzwane
Many people in this industry don’t do it because it’s a calling. They do it because there are no jobs in our country.
Growing up on the dusty streets of Muraleni village outside Nzhelele in Venda, she dreamt of becoming a human resource officer but things did not go as planned as she found herself registered at a bogus college.
Ms Eve Thavhana has been a volunteer caregiver at Duduzwane since 2006. Duduzwane is situated in Malvern and is a home for people infected and affected by HIV/Aids.
“The journey has never been easy for me. After I matriculated I went to study human resources. I later realised that I was studying at a place that was not a registered institution,’’ said Ms Thavhana.
“Becoming a caregiver was not my dream. I now do it in order to make ends meet as we do not pay rent here. I wanted to focus on human resources,” she said.
“Things did not really work out for me when I got here in Johannesburg. I now have two children and I have to make sure that my children do not go to bed with an empty stomach.
“During the day I work here as a volunteer and at night I do job shadowing in hospitals where I get paid,” said Ms Thavhana.
“The challenges I face here daily makes me see life in a different way. Many people in this industry don’t do it because it’s a calling. They do it because there are no jobs in our country.
“There was once a guy who stayed here. He refused to take ARVs and as a result his cd4 counter dropped down. The system was not fighting for the disease anymore. One needs to have patience and have a heart for people,” said Ms Thavhana.
“Some of the patients come here unable to do anything for themselves. I would advise anyone who wants to be a caregiver to have a heart for it. It is a tough industry especially for homes like ours as we volunteer,” she said.
