Times Of Swaziland: Isidingo star  Nandipha' hits rfm

Isidingo star  Nandipha' hits rfm
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STHEMBILE HLATSHWAYO on 05/07/2011 00:00:00


MANZINI - Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital staff and pupils had the
privilege of talking and mingling with actress Hlubi Mboya, popularly known as
Nandipha on South African soapie, Isidingo.
Despite being a celebrity, Mboya showed a lot of humanity. She said she had a
big heart and a passion to assist those who were underpriv-ileged. Mboya said
she was inspired by what RFM was doing in providing food assistance to those who
are in desperate need. "This inspires me to do much better. I am here to help
and learn more," she said. Mboya was last year chosen as the World Food
Programme (WFP) Ambassador. The actress is in the country to visit orphanages
that receive funding from the WFP as part of her a tour against hunger together
with SA chef, Martin Kobald and Michelle Da Silva who is Kobald’s Personal
Assistant.
Her visit started at the RFM Hospital where she visited the hospital’s food
storage facility which assists malnourished patients, especially those who are
on Antiretroviral Treatment (ART), who have tuberculosis (TB) and are on the
Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme.
People infected with HIV and TB are at risk of becoming malnourished because of
reduced intake of food due to various reasons. Most of the time, households of
those infected with HIV and TB are at an increased rate of becoming food
insecure due to loss of income and livelihood opportunities as they care for the
sick.
The staff failed to contain their excitement on seeing the actress and had the
opportunity to take pictures with her.
Nazarene pupils who were also present got the rare opportunity of being called
up by the actress to take pictures with her.
Mboya was briefed on the Food by Prescription programme being undertaken by RFM
Hospital with assistance from WFP. Sister Nobuhle Mthethwa said their patients
were happy about the programme.