NCM Swaziland (NCM-SD) is a registered (2009) Faith-based NGO currently implementing several projects which include strengthening community linkages to local clinic and other care and support services installation of 50 solar wells and rehabilitation of 20 water systems. Over 50,000 people have been educated on water conservation, hygiene and sanitation as well as building sanitation facilities. O
ther current projects involve are training communities on gender based violence and advocacy. In addition, NCM-SD coordinate and oversee HIV/AIDS funding to the Nazarene Evangelism, Health and HIV/AIDS Task Force for the training and supervision of 160 care supporters and the New Hope Center for care of orphans initiatives targeting schools and communities. Since the Nazarene Institutions are well established and rooted at community level it taps on the influence of community leaders like church leaders and Bucopho and community based health care providers in all the projects to motivate, disseminate and engage community members. In 2010, the Nazarene Church celebrated its Centennial as a denomination and as a presence in Swaziland. Swaziland was the first mission field for the Nazarene Church and is the only country in the world with the kind of health, education and congregational capacity represented in this small country of 1,200,000. The mission of the Church in Swaziland (now the Swaziland National Board of the Church of the Nazarene operated independently under indigenous leadership) is to preach, teach and heal. The infrastructure includes Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital, 17 community health clinics, SANU - Southern Africa Nazarene University, three campuses, Faculty of Theology, Faculty of Health Sciences, and the Faculty of Education, 41 schools (22,000 students), 150 congregations and 15,000+ members. This infrastructure provides a powerful foundation for mobilizing clinics and communities to support the decentralization of care and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS and TB including male circumsicion. The Nazarene Evangelism, Health and HIV/AIDS Home-Based Care Task Force is a strong volunteer organization providing palliative care and care of orphans through 160 care supporters in the four regions of the country. There is currently an agreement between the MOH and Swaziland Nazarene Health Institutions (SNHI) made up of RFM, the clinics and College of Nursing. SNHI is now a Class One Para-statal organization, The National Board of the Church of the Nazarene continues to own the property and facilities and has four representatives on the Board of Trustees (9 members appointed by MOH and National Board). The Nazarene institutions work with men, women, and children of all age groups irrespective of gender, religion, or political affiliation. All four regions of Swaziland are covered by these institutions as there are clinics in all four regions and there are significant projects supported by NCM also in all four regions. NCM focuses on rural communities in and link people who need health care with its health institutions as well as other health institutions that are within the catchment areas of the communities. Apart from supporting people who needs health care, NCM also directly work with rural communities on HIV/AIDS programs, water and sanitation, child development, Gender Based Violence (GBV) and education, as well as advocacy? SNHI has a hospital which is a referral health centre for the biggest region in the country (Manzini region) so it serves the whole population of Manzini as well as provide health care services from the other regions through her clinics. SNHIS provides access to health services to approximately half the population of Swaziland (350, 000 people within the Manzini region and 250,000 people from the other clinics in the other regions of the country). On average, the hospital provides services to about 200,000 clients a year (though not unique counts, clients visiting the hospital more than once are counted more than once). NCM has a direct link to 220 000 people in the four regions of Swaziland. A number of communities have been supported with the installation of 50 water systems and 64 sanitation facilities. About 47 communities within the four regions provide as centres of contact with the NCM-SD office. These are areas where schools, clinics and churches are located and based. For the past three years NCM-SD has worked with the communities through the centres of Health care, HIV/AID counselling, school education, community capacity building, community planning, community outreach, community assessment, disease surveillance and data collection. The Nazarene institutions partners with the government, private and international organizations, whilst NCM since it is more community based also partners with Community Based Organizations and Faith Based Organizations. SNHI has clinical medical expertise; it has specialists’ nurses, social workers, anaesthesia, allied health care services, lab activities, paramedics, and pharmacy. SNHI also has a firm hospital that is used as a training facility for nurses and some allied health care workers. It also receives visiting medical and nursing students locally and internationally for attachment. In 2009, RFM Hospital was accredited by the South Africa Medical (SAMC) to provide training for diploma in obstetrics. RFM Hospital has also been used as a training site for early infant male circumcision over the past 3 years in collaboration with JIEPIEGO. RFM Hospital provides doctor outreach services to all the 17 clinics on monthly basis for care of conditions that cannot be handled by nurses. RFM was also involved in providing VMMC in 6 of the community clinics in collaboration with PSI. RFM hospital had also partnered with PSI and UNICEF on VMMC and EIMC. VMMC has been provided at the RFM hospital with very limited demand creation activities to 1199 clients were circumcised in the past 5 years. EIMC activities started in 2009 with the support of UNICEF and to date 2590 clients have been circumcised. It should be noted that RFM hospital has the highest number of hospital deliveries in the country (approximately 8500 deliveries per year) and approximately half of these deliveries are male. NCM successfully manage grants of international and national nature. It has well established relationships with community leaders a have a strong skill in community mobilization. It has also innovative employees and is the only NGO that installed solar water systems. Training and mentoring community carers is one of our core attribute. Coordination skills are also attributed within these Nazarene institutions. NCM-SD Differentiators from Similar Minded organizations:
The church of the Nazarene has its institutions distributed all over the country. There are 153 churches, 41 schools, 17 clinics and one hospital. The distribution of institutions is very strategic to answer the needs of communities, e.g. there is a church, a school, clinic, and NCM in same compound, and the structures are packaged in such a way that it enhances the livelihood needs of the communities. Also have a referral hospital where clients are referred to for more services. SNHI is able to provide primary, secondary and tertiary health care within the same institution and care is provided within a Christian environment. Social welfare unit within the institutions clients are able to access these services. NCM is well established and rooted in the communities, it is driven by needs of the communities and not only Nazarene affiliates but all marginalized, vulnerable, and needy individuals. It has designated staff that is driven by compassion in all they do. It is the only NGO in the country that is providing solar water systems and as a result got an Environmental Energy Globe Award whilst SHNI currently holds a national health award. Lately, the NCM programming has embraced child development centres which will also be located on the same church compound of the 150 churches where basic child needs like nutrition and spiritual naturement will be addressed. Pilots have been done at Ntontozi, Mpolonjeni and Shewula churches. Apart from this development centres, NCM-SD has supported five neighbourhood care points by providing water facilities in partnership with Coca Cola foundation. Through the Child Development Centres, NCM-SD envisions to establish partnership with World Vision Swaziland and reach out to more needy children in the kingdom of Swaziland.
