Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - August 21, 2005
Prega Govender

The 46-year-old Limpopo mother of two was among 13 South Africans attached to humanitarian relief organisation Global Relief, which provided medical and psychological help to tsunami survivors in the Meulaboh region of Sumatra.

Part of one of the boy's thumbs had to be removed because of a tsunami injury, and Mochadi performed this with local anaesthetic.

"It must have been very painful, but he smiled and thanked me," she said.

Mochadi, who spends almost R1500 from her monthly take-home pay of R7680 in helping others less fortunate than herself, has saved R4 500 towards the trip.

The door of her home in Glen Cowie in Greater Sekhukhune is always open to those who need food and shelter.

Mochadi, who is a healthcare officer in the Greater Sekhu-khune municipality, has been subsidising a teenager's studies for three years.

Aside from paying his tuition and registration fees, she pays for his accommodation and food.

"I always derive great pleasure from helping others. When I see people suffering, it motivates me to sacrifice everything to take care of them."

Mochadi won the 2003 Khomanani Health Workers' Excellence Award, which includes prize-money of R50 000, and the Limpopo Premier's Award for Excellence, which carries with it R30 000.

Mochadi, whose job entails the management of HIV/Aids in five municipalities, spent a large part of the R30 000 on the funeral costs of two former patients.

She is also a pastor of the Back to God in Unity Family Fellowship Church and urges her 75-member congregation to help fight HIV/Aids.

"At least 15 members of my congregation have been trained to offer home-based care to chronically ill patients, including HIV/Aids sufferers."

She said winning the Kho-manani award was the first step in strengthening her resolve to continue her campaign to help others.

"I told myself I have not done enough. My objective is to see people happy and living a healthy life like me."

One of the challenges in managing HIV/Aids is the poverty in her community.

"This is our biggest problem. There is also the problem of availability of clinics.

"Some people live huge distances away."

In Indonesia, she helped 500 villagers, 400 of whom had sustained wounds - including deep lacerations - during the tsunami. It is estimated that half the region's population was wiped out in the tsunami.

"The scale of the human suffering really shook me," she said.

She said more than 110 000 people probably needed psychological counselling to deal with the loss of loved ones.

Mochadi is anxious to see whether the teachers in Sumatra, who had been trained in counselling, were coping.

"And, of course, I want to visit the 10-year-old boy I helped and see the smile on his face when I give him his gift," she said.

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