Core kitchen upgrade accomplished

Thu, 30 July 2009

“The new kitchen is easier to clean and much more user-friendly as everything is on hand!” – Caregiver at Shepherd’s Keep Home.

REPORT 1: Shepherds Keep Equipping the milk kitchen at a home for abandoned babies

Shepherd’s Keep provides a loving temporary home for abandoned HIV/AIDS-affected babies in Durban. Babies up to 6 months old receive holistic and dedicated professional care up until the point of adoption. The focus is on placing the babies in family environments within 6 months. Babies receive all-round medical attention with highly specialised equipment, including incubators and phototherapy lights. This project will equip the home’s milk kitchen, used daily for the preparation of formula and meals. Each baby has an individual feeding plan and protecting them from infection is vital. Easy-to-clean stainless steel equipment will be installed, including worktops, shelves, wall cladding, measuring and mixing utensils as well as stainless steel containers for sterilising bottles and teats.

The project timeline is 4 months, from February to May 2009.

Outputs and impact

Sixteen staff members and eighteen babies have already benefitted from increased infection control and easy-to-clean equipment in the milk kitchen.

• Sections of all four kitchen walls have been covered with steel cladding, which has solved the problem of algae growth on the silicone grouting between sinks and walls.
• A stainless steel shelf for preparation of milk bottles has been fitted. This surface is easy to clean and contributes to the quality of the milk preparation process. *A stainless steel urn has been acquired and placed on a corner shelf at a convenient height allowing the new stainless steel mixing pot situated on the trolley to be moved under the urn for decanting of the water. Previously, sterilised water had to be tapped off into various plastic containers, compromising the efficiency and quality of the water. *Two trolleys have been acquired. The stainless steel mixing pot for formula on the one trolley greatly facilitates manipulation of the large quantities of water used for the preparation of milk formula. Staff will no longer need to lift a 100lt plastic container. A second trolley carries a new stainless steel container for the collection of used milk bottles. *The installation of a stainless steel sink with lids to be used as a sterilisation unit has positively impacted on process quality control and efficiency: stainless steel ensures surfaces are kept infection-free, easily and in less time. Necessary plumbing and fitting work has been completed. *An L-shaped stainless steel neutral counter has replaced two individual tables improving space efficiency. *The new industrial stainless steel fridge with double-sliding glass doors has greatly improved storage effectiveness adding space and accessibility.

Outstanding activities

Only painting and refinishing works are pending.

Expenditure

Shortly before project implementation, Shepherd’s Keep and SASIX agreed to modify the original capital expenditure budget for the benefit of the milk kitchen. The decision was taken due to sudden price increases in electricity, and after consultation with contractors on how to maximise the milk kitchen’s quality and efficiency.

The original budget however, remained unchanged. This was possible thanks to the generous in-kind contribution made by the suppliers, who decided to acknowledge Shepherd’s Keep’s work by offering a substantial discount. The contractor agreed to complete the entire installation and receive outstanding payments once final project funds had been paid out.

The cost of the project is R 62,225.36, with R22,864 still to be paid.

Challenges

• Escalating prices forced Shepherd’s Keep management to review the initial budget and adjust their equipment requirements but thanks to the suppliers’ generous discount, essential equipment could be acquired within the initial budget margins.
• Installation of the new equipment was delayed due to imprecise initial construction planning, which forced refitting and reinstalling of equipment to ensure maximum utility.
• April’s numerous public holidays and long weekends caused much disruption in the work of manufacturers and installers, which often fell behind schedule. Any future construction planning should carefully consider this aspect.

Monitoring and evaluation

Monitoring of the kitchen’s renovation process has been ongoing and stringent, due to the urgent need for a quality and staff-friendly facility. Shepherd’s Keep administrator conducted regular on-site meetings and work supervision, both in progress and after completion, discussing challenges as they arose and finding appropriate solutions.

Final work should follow according to schedule.

Conclusions and analysis

All core renovation work has been accomplished with only minor finishes still pending. This project has greatly contributed to improving efficiency and quality in babies’ care at Shepherd’s Keep through the creation of a user-friendly, infection-controlled environment for the preparation of milk formula.