Project Elderly Care
Sully
Sully’s story
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From casino dealer, to helping stop human trafficking, to now a carer for the elderly. We are so thrilled to introduce you all to the wonderful Sully.
My name is Sully . I grew up in rural Mpumalanga during the apartheid days. At the age of 16 I became a mother . I pushed on to finish school, and then did a secretarial course
I never did start work as a secretary though. I got a job in a casino as a dealer. I did well, clients liked my outgoing, happy nature. I worked long hours, but put my child through school and saved up to buy an apartment.
In 2011, my world started crumbling. My only son, my pride and joy, who was studying and whom I thought was doing so well, got addicted to drugs. It all spiralled from there, and then I reached rock bottom when he was admitted to Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital.
I fell into a deep depression and lost my job. At work, I was expected to be a cheerful bubbly person. When people are losing money at a table you are expected to be encouraging and positive. I just couldn’t wear the mask any more. I lost my job, my apartment that I’d saved up for, everything that I’d built up during the past 20 years crumbled, and I ended up in a shelter in Hillbrow.
At rock bottom, in the shelter, I was introduced to a church community and also an organization working to stop human trafficking. These people embraced me as I was and helped me with counselling and I worked as a domestic worker for them for some years until they sat me down and asked me “Sully, what do you want to do with your life?”
Sully, what do you want to do with your life?
I did a beautician course, and then ended up doing a course to care for the elderly in 2020, when the world shut down with COVID. It was an online course, and required 200 hours of volunteer experience, which I completed last year at Junes Haven Private & Exclusive Frail Care.
Working with the elderly, I finally found my calling. These men and women in the sunset years of their life are authentic and real. They don’t take nonsense and tell it like it is. Caring has taught me patience, it has taught me about relationships and respect.”
Sully has been part of the church community that we’ve been a part of the past 15 years.
She has completed her certification and volunteer hours as an Elderly Care Assistant through Chilton (including First Aid / CPR) as well as Advanced Au Pair, Night Nursing and Early Childhood Development
(including Paediatric First Aid / CPR)
She’s a healthy young, yet mature lady in her 50s with no immediate family responsibilities and so a perfect fit for a live-in carer position or Aupair/nurse.
Sully’s number is 072 566 3798
E-Mail: sullymkhabela@gmail.com
How you can help
- Do you or anyone you know need a carer or night nurse to help with babies?
- Do you have any contacts with any of the old age homes or frail cares that Sully might be able to get an interview at?
- Please share on any groups that might need someone like Sully.
Sully’s CV