The following report from one of the ZANE carers shows again the kind of loving intervention that ZANE can make with the old folk of Zimbabwe who have lost so much. Sometimes it is simply spending time and giving practical assistance rather than spending money on helping, and because every single beneficiary is known by name and visited regularly, the ZANE carers can assess the situation and work with family members or friends to help resolve situations that might seem overwhelming to those involved.
Often the help that ZANE can offer is very different from the usual financial aid.
For some time, we have been visiting Gillian and Stuart D. (aged in their eighties), who have lived in a small flat since they retired some twenty years ago. Gillian and Stuart do not have children and have been receiving some help through ZANE from a niece who lives in Scotland. We have been reporting to her and trying to work out a plan for Gillian and Stuart, as it has become clear over the last couple of years that they will not be able to manage in their flat for much longer.
Last month their niece, Pat, reached out to us to say that she had found a care home near her which Gillian and Stuart would be able to move to, and, as they are both British citizens, they could move there without having to be granted any visas. Pat asked ZANE if we would be able to help the couple pack up their flat in preparation for selling it and then assist them with a place to live while they waited for all the bureaucracy to take its course.
We approached one of the local care homes, and they agreed to allow Gillian and Stuart to stay there for a few weeks while they waited.
On closer inspection of the flat, we realised that it would need a good clean out before going on the market, but, before that, there would need to be a huge clear out of the contents – some of which would need to be discarded, others sold, and the rest packed to go with them. It took two of us five hours to carefully go through mountains of documents, checking which were important and which could be binned.
The next day we opened up the flat for the cleaning team, and together we went through the whole place until it looked sparkling new! Next week, one of the local estate agents will take it over and hopefully get a good price for the flat, which will help Gillian and Stuart in their move to Scotland.
In the meantime, they are happily in their nice double room at a local care home, and when I visited on Friday, they were looking and feeling so much better, eagerly waiting for the time they will be reunited with Pat.
It feels so good to know that this lovely old couple, who have worked hard all their lives and lost everything, will live out their days in a safe place with someone who loves them dearly nearby. As a ZANE carer, I feel so glad that I was able to help bring about this happy conclusion.
* Names and images may have been changed for privacy reasons
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Thank you – Nicky Passaportis ZANE Australia
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