Gogo Karlina is a 91 year old woman staying in   Belfast, who did not have a home, no one to take care of her and had been partially blind since 2004. In response, the CWP team sought donations from various community members, bought building materials and built Gogo Karlina a one room home where they visit her daily, bath her and make sure she has at least one meal per day.

With the assistance of Hazyview Eyecare Optometrist, Anthea Jansen van Rensburg, her eyes were tested and it was found that even though she had lost sight in her left eye completely, with a cataract extraction procedure she would be able to regain sight in her right eye. The operation was successful and Gogo now has her vision back.

“God has sent the CWP to assist me. I am so happy…I sometimes feel that I now have the freedom to walk to the river and go for a swim because I can see again,” says Gogo Karlina. She also expressed her amazement at the growth of the Belfast Village and how she can now see the various developments taking place.

The CWP is always placed in different contexts, whether in the framework of restoring dignity to an elderly woman, providing work for the unemployed or teaching skills to potentially create alternative income opportunities. It creates a platform for participants in the programme to see what is happening in their communities and gives them the opportunity to respond to social injustice with sincerity. The CWP participants in Belfast saw such an opportunity presented to them when they were introduced to Gogo Karlina.