Gloria is our sweet-spirited friend who lives in South Africa and is struggling: physically, financially, emotionally and mentally. She is 50 years old and still bears the financial burden of supporting her large family comprising four adult children and five grandchildren. With the exception of one daughter (who earns a meager amount of money), the other three have battled with addiction, oppression, and systemic poverty, leaving them unable to contribute. Gloria has had consistent health issues, as an HIV positive woman, but despite this has always worked hard and put her family’s needs before her own. However, now she has been diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism and Congestive Heart Disease, and cannot afford the medication. In her current home, she is enduring physical and emotional abuse and must find a new place to live ASAP.

Video of Gloria dancing with my son in 2020: https://youtu.be/w-J_lL0QjDs

Gloria has been HIV positive for 12 years (monitored and given medicine at a government hospital). Gloria was recently diagnosed with chronic Hyperthyroidism and experiences mood swings, hyperactivity, sleep disorders and rapid weight loss. She responds well to the medication for this disorder, but unfortunately cannot afford it. Gloria was also diagnosed with Congestive Heart Disease. On top of this, she is literally starving, weighing ONLY 35kgs (77 lbs), because beyond the hyperthyroidism, she simply cannot afford food.

Since the age of 23, Gloria has worked as a domestic caretaker: cleaning, cooking and tending children. For 19 years she lived with my dear friend Diana in a lovely home in Johannesburg, where she was given room and board and remained stable and in good health while earning the standard salary of R3400 per month (approximately $200 USD). Diana also helped Gloria’s children with school fees, clothes and other needs. However, Diana downsized from her large home and left Johannesburg, having some financial challenges of her own. Gloria went on to work for another family for two years where she was badly mistreated.

Gloria’s only child who is employed, her daughter Dolly, works nights in a gas station as a cashier and earns R4500 per month ($265 USD). Dolly has two young children who live with their paternal grandmother, since on Dolly’s cashier’s salary she cannot afford daycare, school fees or food. Dolly has some sort of growth in her abdomen, but cannot afford to go to the doctor.

Gloria has a son who has three children and lives in rural setting tending sheep. Her other daughter works in a “circumcision clinic” (an alternative to ritual circumcision in the “bush” where many boys die from unsanitary practices). She receives R100 ($6 USD) for each patient she recruits, but no salary.

Gloria has one child who received higher education, her youngest son who grew up in Diana’s household. But despite being well-educated, (a fact that should position him to be the primary breadwinner in the family), he battles with alcoholism and does not work. Gloria is routinely verbally and physically abused by this son, along with her boyfriend of 30 years in the home they share.

Gloria needs to get out of the abusive environment where she is living ASAP. She is temporarily staying with Diana in PARYS, South Africa to recuperate, but this is a short-term solution. She would like to be able to stay close to Diana in Parys permanently, and is actively seeking work as a domestic caretaker in this town.

Ideally, once her health is well managed, Gloria could become a qualified home health aid for the elderly (a job she would be well suited for) which would allow her greater earning potential. Likewise, if Dolly could receive more education, it would greatly improve her outcome, but as the sole breadwinner, she cannot afford to stop working to attend school.

If you feel moved to help Gloria, or her family, a small donation could make a huge impact in the quality of their lives. In an ideal world, Gloria could live permanently away from the abuse of her son and boyfriend, have enough money for food and medicine so that she can make a full recovery and manage her conditions, and then be able to work once again.

We truly appreciate anything you could contribute towards Gloria and her family. Even meeting some of her acute needs (like paying for some of her medication) would be a blessing. Anything you could give towards ANY of these goals would be gratefully appreciated.

For Gloria:

• Chronic medication for Hyperthyroidism: R1000 per month ($59 USD)

• Regular doctor’s appointments: R550 per visit ($32 USD)

• Blood Tests: R300 per test ($18 USD)

• Access to healthy food: R2000 per month ($118 USD)

• A rented room in Parys (so Diana can monitor her): R1000 per month ($59 USD) plus Electricity and water: R500 per month ($29 USD)

• OR, a better solution, moving in with Diana, requiring an extra room built: R40 000 for a garden cottage. ($2353 USD)

• OR, purchasing her own small home in Parys: Between R600 000 - R700 000 ($35,300 - $41,176 USD)

• A qualification course for Eldercare / Home Health Aid: Cost TBD

For Dolly:

• Doctor’s visit to asses the growth in her abdomen: R550 ($32 USD)

• Referral to specialist? Tests? Operation? Off work? Cost TBD

• Education for Dolly: Replacement of month salary of R4500 ($265 USD), college fees TBD.

*NOTE: We are assuring your donations reach Gloria (or Dolly) by closely managing the account where funds are collected and limiting access. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.