NIGHT FALL

Guest on the line: Mkhulu Tshepo (Aka Bronwyn Saayman)

Abandonment, separation or loss of a caregiver is among the most common causes of future mental illness, according to research.

These often have serious consequences for a child’s personality development and may result in low self-esteem, attachment disorders and anxiety.It is for this reason that SOS Children’s Villages in South Africa joined forces with organisations like REPSSI, Synergos and Phola to build the capacity of staff to respond to and manage mental health issues.

“The staff used tools such as the Tree of Life to hold healing and helping conversations among themselves and the children. One of the mental health effects of Covid-19 is isolation. The intervention aimed at bringing people together to connect emotionally despite the distance. This enabled programmes at SOS Children’s Villages to focus on restoring hope for the future and a sense of purpose to the children”, said Sipelile Kaseke, Head of Programmes for SOS Children’s Villages in South Africa.

Guest on the line: Sipelile Kaseke, Head of Programmes for SOS Children’s Villages in South

Entering into a residential lease agreement comes with several important considerations. The condition of the property ultimately affects one of the most critical factors of a lease – price! However, often is the case whereby upon cancellation of the lease agreement, tenants find themselves liable for damages they feel they should not have to pay for, or landlords find themselves having to fork out extra monies for repair work they feel should be for the tenant’s account.

Guest on the line: Jared Poole - Attorney - SchoemanLaw Inc

But why would a woman agree to be a second wife? And why does a first wife agree to it?

Guest on the line: Dr. Angel

Children have a very low risk of death or severe disease from COVID-19. As a result, they have not been a core focus in the pandemic response priorities of prevention, detection, and response. But this approach doesn’t take into account the secondary impacts of the pandemic. These include children being orphaned or bereft of their caregivers.

Children are among the most vulnerable members of any society and are thus disproportionately affected by the devastation of this pandemic. If every adult death represents a child who has lost a member of their care network, we are on the cusp of a crisis of care for those children left behind. Without support, these children are set to face adverse consequences, including poverty, abuse, and institutionalisation.

Guest on the line: Lorraine Sherr is a Professor of Clinical and Health Psychology at University College London and co-director of the UKRI GCRF Adolescent Hub.

Africa is the continent that shoulders the greatest burden of malaria globally, with children under five across Sub-Saharan Africa – our future youth – predominantly falling victim to this deadly disease. According to the latest WHO World Malaria Report 2019, 94% (215 million) of the global 229 million malaria cases - and 94% (384 000) of the 409,000 global malaria-related deaths - reported were from Africa.

Sherwin Charles, Co-Founder and CEO of Goodbye Malaria says a malaria-free future is now closer in sight than ever before.

“Despite considerable progress with the scale up of insecticide treated nets and the adoption of highly effective treatment, malaria remains a primary cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. The fight to end malaria is everyone’s fight. Operating in Southern Africa, where we have some of the heaviest burden of malaria, we see first-hand the wrenching effects this disease has on our people and our communities. Swift action can substantially reduce the burden of malaria, and prevent joint malaria and COVID-19 epidemics that are simultaneously overwhelming vulnerable health systems.”

Guest on the line: Sherwin Charles, Co-Founder and CEO of Goodbye Malaria

There are four untreatable STDs: Hepatitis B, herpes, HIV (human immunodeficiency syndrome), and HPV (human papillomavirus). All are caused by viruses. Two of them — hepatitis B and HIV — can also be transmitted by sharing intravenous drugs. Hepatitis B, herpes, and HIV can also be transmitted to an infant during birth.

Hepatitis affects the liver and can lead to liver cancer or cirrhosis (scarring of the liver). Both are fatal. There are three kinds of hepatitis: A, B, and C. All can be passed along through sexual intimacy (not just intercourse), but only Hepatitis B can’t be cured.

Herpes is spread through intimate contact. HSV-2, or genital herpes, manifests as blisters and sores around the rectum and genitals. Another form of herpes, HSV-1, is spread by saliva and often leaves cold sores. It can also cause genital herpes.

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS, which weakens the immune system and leaves a person very susceptible to a variety of illnesses, sexually transmitted through body fluids (semen, vaginal secretions).

HPV is a virus that causes genital warts, cervical cancer, and oral cancer. Both cancers can be fatal.

Guest on the line: Dr Anthony Smith –family physician and medical sexologist.

Social assistance is critical to counter the insecurity and vulnerability experienced by chronically poor people. Evidence shows that as well as preventing people from sliding into poverty, social assistance supports human development, helps people to access opportunities to exit poverty, and interrupts the intergenerational transmission of poverty; An obstacle to progress on social assistance involves arguments around the ‘dependency syndrome’ – concerns about recipients becoming permanently dependent on ‘handouts’ and losing any inclination to improve their circumstances as a result of it

Guest on the line: MUSA E. ZULU is a published author, artist, poet and motivational speaker.

DKMS Africa, formerly known as the Sunflower Fund is seeking to drive awareness on how technology has made becoming a donor quick and easy in order to grow the local registry. Becoming a donor is costless, as DKMS Africa covers the cost of the DNA test required to register as a donor. There is also no cost to donate stem cells when you are identified as a match for a patient.

Guest on the line: Xolani Hlongwane -Donor Recruitment Manager at DKMS Africa (formerly known as The Sunflower Fund).

Lobola is an age-old African custom that is as alive today as it was 100 years ago however; certain aspects of it have changed.

Lobolo or Lobola in, Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele (Mahadi in Sesotho, Roora in Shona, and Magadi in Northern Sotho), sometimes translate as bride price, is a customary Southern African ritual whereby the man pays the family of his fiancée for her hand in marriage. (Compare with the European dowry custom where the woman brings assets.) The tradition is designed for bringing the two families together, nurturing shared admiration, and signifying that the man is proficient of supporting his wife money-wise. In addition, it is also regarded as one of the pillars that should grip the two families—and particularly the couple—sturdy.

Guest on the line: Dr Mpumelelo Ncube -HoD & Senior Lecturer Dept of Social Work University of the Free State