History of Lifeline

FROM the days when all LifeLine Zululand offered was a crisis telephone counselling service, the organiation now offers numerous services covering the greater King Cetshwayo District, incorporating the following municipalities - uMhlathuze, Mfolozi, Ntambanana, Mthonjaneni, Nkandla, uMlalazi and uMkhanyakude District (KwaMsane area).

LifeLine South Africa’s core business is emotional wellness, and annually more than 1.6 million people utilise its telephone and face-to-face counselling services and benefit from its various community projects.

Approximately 75% of LifeLine’s current interventions relate to HIV and Aids and gender-based violence, and the organisation’s belief is that the emotionally balanced person copes better with life’s challenges, has higher selfesteem, and maintains more meaningful and satisfying relationships within diverse cultural societies.

Forty-seven years ago the LifeLine service was brought to South Africa by Rev Peter Storey of Australia.

Today, LifeLine in Africa boasts 25 community centres in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe; and is a member of LifeLine International (which has member centres in 19 countries).

Some of the more prominent figures who have been associated with LifeLine over the years include Rev. Beyers Naude and Bishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.

All centres are selffunded, relying on donors in order to function.

Over the years LifeLine has provided quality community services through a wellorganised infrastructure of volunteers.

In developing this service, LifeLine established a core group of well-trained facilitators and counsellors equipped to initiate a mushrooming programme of community-based partnerships to enhance emotional wellness.

LifeLine has learned to utilise dialogue regarding sensitive matters such as gender-driven behaviour, learning through peer interventions and personal growth programmes in order to engage community members in a professional manner.

As emotional wellness dictates our life’s direction. LifeLine’s focus is both reactive and proactive.