Safer Bathrooms for Chronically Ill Children

NEED

Hundreds of children suffering from a range of chronic and debilitating ailments benefit from the services St Joseph’s Home provides. The care provided by the home provides some measure of relief to the families of these children, who also benefit from the support services offered by the Home. In addition, taking on the burden of chronically ill children frees up valuable space and resources in hospitals, enabling them to focus on patients in urgent need of care.

The children residing at St Joseph’s are particularly vulnerable to infections and the spread of diseases, and so it is of vital importance that all of their facilities meet high standards of hygiene and cleanliness. Some of the bathrooms at the Home have not been renovated for 50 years, and are in urgent need of improvement.

OVERVIEW

This project will see the total renovation of the bathrooms in two of the Home’s wards. This will include installing new baths and showers, specifically adapted for children in need of assistance, as well as new toilets, cupboards, windows, basins, mirrors and tiles and so on.

A suitable contractor, who has performed renovations for the Home before, has been identified.

WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THIS PROJECT

• These ill children have compromised immune systems, and are particularly vulnerable to disease and infection. Upgraded bathroom facilities will minimise to danger posed to these children.
• St Josephs offers highly integrated, holistic care for all of its residents. By providing them with the necessary capital to upgrade their facilities, they will be able to concentrate their efforts on their primary purpose: caring for ill children.

IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS

The children residing at St Joseph’s benefit from holistic care that includes 24-hour nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, schooling until grade seven, social work intervention, recreational activities, speech therapy and hydrotherapy. Upgraded bathroom facilities, which are both safer for children and a better working environment for staff, will allow the Home to further improve the service they offer these children.

At any given time there are at least 120 children resident at St Josephs, and in 2008, 431 children passed through their doors. Based on this figure, the estimated cost per life change is R2,234.

ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY

St Joseph’s has a long history of providing for chronically ill children in the Western Cape. The Home was established in 1935, and started off caring for ten children with bone diseases and malnutrition. Today St Josephs cares for upward of 130 children who suffer from cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, organ failures, injuries resulting from accidents and other long-term chronic ailments. The range of services offered by the home is excellent, and is evidence of an understanding for the need of a holistic intervention in the lives of the children in its care.

The organisation is well supported by a mix of local and international donors from all sectors, though it does rely heavily on the Department of Health for funding. The recent addition of a fundraising manager has enabled the Home to secure funding to meet some of the needs laid out in its strategic planning document.

RISK PROFILE

Key Strengths

• Concept: This simple replacement of outdated equipment will provide a healthier environment for chronically ill children.
• Design: By funding a necessary infrastructure project, the Home will be able to concentrate on their primary purpose: providing quality, holistic care care.
• Capability: The organisation has identified a supplier who has produced high quality work for the Home in the past.
• Sustainability: The new bathrooms are designed to last, and will provide future patients at St Josephs with a suitable facility for many years to come.

Key Risks - Medium Low

• External: As with any project that relies on an external contractor, this project is somewhat vulnerable to changes in prices and timelines. The Home has, however, used this particular contractor before and has only had favourable experiences.