Two students happy to make a difference in mental illness home.
Established in 1991, South African Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Alliance is a non-profit organisation which provides a safe home for people with mental conditions and provides learning opportunities to volunteers.
Two students of the South African College of Applied Psychology (Sacap) have been volunteering for more than eight weeks at a mental illness home.
Daniela Redondi and Hannah Mahlahaneng Matoba have been giving their time at the South African Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Alliance.
According to the two, it was a privilege to volunteer at Sabda and to see the theory they have been learning over the past years being put into practice. This opportunity has given them the space to learn and grow in their field of work.
Daniela said, “Being able to work in a place with people who have symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar means a lot to me.”
Hannah added, “I have learnt so much from the residents. Volunteering here has given me great joy and even with the challenges, if it is possible, I would like to stay at Sabda helping around after my Sacap hours.
“As a psychosocial support worker, being placed at Sabda has really been a mixture of everything. It’s been a blessing, challenge and a learning curve. There are so many things we have realised that I know for a fact that if we were not placed here, we would never have experienced them.”
She said working in an environment with people who suffered from mental illness was not easy, and one needed to take care of their patients and themselves.
“Even though we have faced challenges like resistance from the residents and dealing with them pulling out of support groups, we are happy with the experience so far.
“We hoping to build something that won’t be here today and gone tomorrow.”
Related articles:
Saint John’s College student accepted into three Ivy League universities
60 students admitted to hospital following suspected gas leak in Parktown
