Our HOPE staff members are based in Cape Town and are always ready to help –
Contact us at info@hopecapetown.org
Chief Executive Officer of HOPE Cape Town Association
After obtaining both her B.Sc (Psychology) and MB.Ch.B. degrees at the University of the Free State she moved to Cape Town at the end of 2002 and completed her medical internship at New Somerset Hospital during 2003. It was here where she developed a keen interest in the management of HIV.
In 2004, she started the ARV unit at Wesfleur Hospital in Atlantis where she had performed her Community Service year. She remained in charge of this unit until 2013.
She obtained a certificate that is co-certified by Yale and FPD in Advanced Health Management (2009) and a diploma in HIV Management through The College of Family Physicians of South Africa (2015).
In 2013, she joined the HOPE Cape Town team as Program Coordinator, overseeing all projects and was involved in the day-to-day management of the organisation.
She was appointed as CEO of the HOPE Cape Town Association in September 2021 and in this role will oversee the daily operations of the organisation and shape the overall vision and strategic plan.
Programme Manager
European Relations: Admin Support
Melanie Wagner joined HOPE Cape Town in 2023 in the position of European Relations: Admin Support. She is a qualified teacher and has a postgraduate degree in Applied Linguistics. Prior to joining HOPE, she held various positions in education, teaching and lecturing ECD, languages and linguistics, and then occupied roles in legal and educational publishing. Melanie is passionate about people empowerment and youth development, and is a swimming coach in her spare time
Financial Accountant
HOPE to Home Coordinator
Sonia Daniels started to work at HOPE Cape Town in April 2010. She is the Care and Support Coordinator at the Paediatric Wards of the Tygerberg Hospital. Sonia counsels mothers and caregivers and does group talks on a number of HIV related subjects. Additionally, Sonia is also involved in the volunteer and elective student programme and works closely with the PR office of the Tygerberg Hospital.
HOPE Cape Town Doctor
Ana completed the required 2 year internship at the Pietermaritzburg Hospital Complex in KwaZulu Natal in 2007-2008. She then completed her community service year in Tintswalo Hospital, Mpumalanga, rotating through 6 months of Adult Internal Medicine (including TB wards, clinics and psychiatry) and 6 months in Accident & Emergency. After a short break to travel in South America, Ana took up a post as a Senior House Officer in paediatrics at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital, Cape Town, in 2010-2011. After completing her DCh, she moved to Michael Maphongwana Community Health Centre in Khayelitsha, where she practiced as a Family ARV Medical Officer from 2012-2014. During this time, she initiated the adolescent ARV service at the clinic. Ana took a month sabbatical to join an internship at the International House of Prayer, Kansas City, MO, USA in 2015. Upon returning from the States in October 2015, Ana joined the team at HOPE Cape Town as a part time Medical Officer.
Social Worker
Clinical Nurse Practitioner and Operational Manager
Grade R Educator
Auxillary Social Worker
Teacher’s Assistant
Maintenance & Technical
Co-ordinator/Librarian
The Nex-Indawo Yethu campus
Receptionist
The Nex-Indawo Yethu campus
Programme co-ordinator
Born in the Eastern Cape, Verdene is passionate about mental health and social research. Her passion for mental well-being was further sparked after obtaining her bachelor’s degree in psychology. Thereafter she gained experience working in trauma crisis counselling, suicide prevention and substance abuse recovery. In 2019 she entered the world of social research where she worked as a research assistant and coordinator on various TB, HIV and mental health research projects across the country. She remains immensely thankful for the NGO’s, psychiatric and research institutions, where she gained valuable career experience which shaped and prepared her for her exciting new journey at HOPE Cape Town.
General Worker
The Nex-Indawo Yethu campus
General Worker
The Nex-Indawo Yethu campus
HOPE Cape Town recruited and employed its first Community Health Worker in September 2002, and we now employ 12 Community Health Workers based at 11 community sites.
They are based at their local municipal and provincial clinic, and are able to provide a wide variety of services, including HIV testing and counselling, Tuberculosis testing, family planning, sexually transmitted infections testing and counselling, and cervical screening. They are also involved with prevention (in the form of educational talks), as well as HIV treatment and management (including adherence support).
The Community Health Workers each complete a tertiary-level distance learning course on HIV care and counselling, and they are provided with ongoing training to keep them up to date with the latest developments in their field. The work that the Community Health Workers do increases the treatment capacity at their local clinic, and they become an integral part of the daily functioning of their respective clinic.
