Cicetekelo Home & St Therese’s Village

Cicetekelo Home was opened in 2002 as a hospice to provide terminal care to patients dying from AIDS in Ndola, Zambia. Established by Dr Eileen Keane, an Irish doctor and Missionary Sister of the Holy Rosary, it was deemed counter cultural, as families in Zambia always look after their own. The hospice however was the solution to when there were no surviving family members left to provide care. Rather than dying alone, in pain, in the bush, compassionate end of life care was provided by Dr Keane, five nurses and voluntary carers.

The story of Cicetekelo Home is described in Dr Eileen Keane’s memoir, Go Ye Afar, which was published in 2021. Eileen cajoled a retired builder to convert a building, a disused beer hall (tavern), into a medical facility. Funds were provided by Dr Edmond Prendiville’s annual Kerry cycle and by other donors such as DAFA, set up by the indomitable Barney Curley. The introduction of antiretroviral drugs to treat AIDS in 2006 dramatically changed the prognosis for AIDS patients. Terminally ill patients recovered. Consequently, and for other financial reasons, the hospice closed in 2013. At that time, care had been provided to 2518 patients. The building is now used as a primary care centre.

St Therese’s Village is based in Ndola, Zambia. It has two functions. Residential care is provided to children and adults with severe physical and intellectual disabilities. Also, sheltered accommodation is provided to destitute elderly from the local compounds or villages. Since 2003, funding has been provided by Dr Edmond Prendiville’s annual cycle and latterly by CPS.