Scheduled to open by March 2006, a second ARV (anti-retroviral) clinic managed by St Francis Care Centre is ready for construction. This facility has been made possible by a grant awarded by interior building systems specialists and suppliers of plasterboard, BPB Gypsum South Africa via their parent company BPB Gypsum plc, UK.
Torch Marketing has been awarded the publicity contract to cover the progress of construction. One of only two grants issued by BPB UK for 2005 (India received the other), the £50 000 (R565 000) sponsorship will enable the erection of the clinic and purchase of equipment to build up infrastructure and capacity, thus providing medical care and support for patients, their families and the communities affected by HIV/AIDS in the Reiger Park, Boksburg area.
The clinic will be modelled on the existing facility in Eveleigh, Boksburg that has successfully been offering free counselling, testing and treatment to their community since September 2004. To date, over 500 patients have visited the clinic and of these, 187 have started ARV treatment with encouraging results.
The initiative was spearheaded by BPB Gypsum employee, Frances Esau, who is a volunteer for the educational centre associated with St Frances - namely St Anthony's Centre.
The location of the centre is easily accessible by those it serves, surrounded by three informal settlements and Reiger Park township. The greater facility - St Anthony's Education Centre, offers adult literacy and education, a matric project for students who wish to redo this grade, skills training in construction, a day care centre for the elderly, a drug and alcohol dependence recovery facility, a home for abandoned and orphaned children, an adult hospice and a fully equipped library. Started by Father Stan Brennan, a parish priest of St Francis Church, the growth of the institution from humble beginnings to what it is today, has given the poorest of the poor renewed hope and dignity. The facility is non-denominational.
The sod-turning ceremony, marking the symbolic commencement of construction takes place on 24th October 2005 and will be a landmark event for BPB Gypsum and its surrounding population.
