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ABOUT VIHASA
ROOTED IN PURPOSE
For over 20 years, VIHASA Africa has delivered experiential programmes that help carers reconnect with their values, rediscover joy in service, and strengthen the foundations of compassionate care.
VIHASA is a professional modular programme designed for personal and team development. Our story is one of healing, hope, and shared humanity.
VALUES IN HEALTHCARE
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA
COMPASSION AT THE CORE: TRANSFORMING CARE TOGETHER
In a world of constant care, who cares for the caregivers?
VIHASA offers an inner voyage for service professionals - rooted in values, guided by inner peace and positivity, and sustained by community. Discover our tools for self care to restore resilience, compassion, and purpose in your work and life.
A values‑based approach to strengthening Africa’s care ecosystem for those who serve and those they support.
Grounded in the African philosophy of Ubuntu - “I am because we are”, VIHASA integrates compassion, dignity, and interconnectedness into everyday practice, aligning with people‑centred care across the full spectrum of care in Africa uplifting carers in healthcare, education, social services, correctional facilities, NGOs, and beyond.
OUR VISION
To embed compassion, dignity, and values‑based care across the full spectrum of care in Africa supporting carers in healthcare, education, social services, correctional facilities, NGOs, and beyond.
OUR MISSION
To deliver evidence‑based, experiential training that strengthens inner resilience, fosters teamwork, and restores humanity in care transforming carers and the systems they support.
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Workshops Delivered
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Caregivers Empowered
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Facilitators Leading Change
AN INSIDE-OUT VALUES-BASED APPROACH
INNER STRENGTH AS THE STARTING POINT
We believe that true healing begins within. Before we can care for others, we must reconnect with our own inner resources - peace, positivity, and compassion. These qualities are not just ideals; they are practical tools for resilience in the face of daily challenges.
Spirituality, for us, is not a belief system, it’s a way of being. It’s the quiet strength that guides our thoughts, attitudes, feelings, and actions. Through experiential tools like meditation, reflection, listening, visualisation, appreciation, play and creative expression, we help professionals rediscover their core values and bring them into their work.
When values like cooperation, compassion, and self-care are consciously practiced, they transform the caregiving experience. Our approach empowers individuals and teams to cultivate these values, not just as concepts, but as living practices that restore morale, deepen connection, and prevent burnout.
VIHASA Africa is part of a global initiative that honors the dignity of both the caregiver and the cared-for. Our spiritual foundation is what makes this work sustainable, inclusive, and transformative - across hospitals, universities, NGOs, and communities.
THE VIHASA STORY:
IMPACT AND REACH
AN INITIATIVE ROOTED IN SERVICE
VIHASA was introduced by Dr Raksha Balbadhur in 2005 and began as a voluntary offering to healthcare workers over weekends, free of charge, with no institutional backing. From these humble beginnings, VIHASA has spread across the country and beyond, reaching multiple African nations.
Despite its impact, VIHASA has remained largely under the radar, offered quietly on the ground, spreading by word of mouth, without marketing. This has limited its visibility, yet its footprint across Southern Africa and its benefits have been profound. “Compassion” is a central thread woven throughout. It is not a one-off intervention, it is a transformative journey that builds personal insight, professional resilience, and collective healing.
SOUTH AFRICA: DEEP ROOTS IN CARE
VIHASA has offered monthly modules in Durban, Johannesburg, and Cape Town, supporting healthcare workers across South Africa. Workshops have been held in government hospitals such as King Dinuzulu, Addington, Grey’s, RK Khan, Mahatma Gandhi, Montebello, and Stanger, Phoenix and Tongaat Community Health Centres, Phelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein, and workshops in Pretoria, Nelspruit and Soweto and Gqeberha. The Department of Health (DOH) in KwaZulu-Natal Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) has hosted monthly sessions with up to 80 attendees from all across KZN at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH).
Private sector outreach includes LifeHealthcare and Netcare staff in KZN and Gauteng. Educational institutions like Nelson Mandela University, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, University of Cape Town, University of Limpopo, Fort Hare, Potchefstroom, and several nursing colleges - including Ann Latsky, Lilita, Grey’s, and Mpumalanga - have hosted modules, including a workshop to build resilience and overcome stress and burnout for interns at Groote Schuur Hospital. VIHASA’s presence at the South African Academy of Family Physicians (SAAFP) Conference has initiated dialogue around curriculum integration.
The program has partnered with NGOs such as Family and Marriage Society of South Africa (FAMSA), Hospice Palliative Care Association, South African Theatre Staff (SATS), Olive Leaf Foundation, Red Cross, LifeLine, Childline, AIDS Response, and Mothers to Mothers (M2M), and worked with the Department of Social Development in Grahamstown and Humansdorp. It has also reached hospice networks, school nurses, SATS nurses, and healthcare staff within the SA National Defense Force and the national palliative care community in collaboration with PALPRAC.
Past successes include powerful testimonials from NMU participants who describe VIHASA as transformative, renewing their passion and resilience in challenging environments. This legacy inspires the planned four-day training for 50 university staff and 100 NPOs in South Africa, aiming to expand VIHASA to all universities and sectors facing burnout, low morale, and the urgent need for inner renewal.
Additional Highlights:
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Workshops have been conducted at national South African Campus Health Staff Conferences over several years.
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VIHASA has featured at international and national platforms, including Children’s Hospice International and the South African Palliative Care Conference.
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As VIHASA transitioned online, monthly sessions have been conducted across Africa, including outreach to Ekurhuleni district clinics.
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At the South African Family Physicians Conference, VIHASA was presented to the Heads of Family Medicine Education and Training Committee to recommend its integration into medical curricula—responding to rising concerns around junior doctors’ mental health and suicide rates.
Research and Evidence-Based Impact:
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A study conducted at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) with third-year medical students as part of an MPhil in Medical Education (Stellenbosch University) demonstrated significant benefits of the VIHASA program.
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The research showed measurable improvement in scores on the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale.
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Participants reported enhanced character and team development, improved self-awareness, greater happiness, and overall mental well-being.
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The program contributed to reduced burnout and improved patient care — highlighting its value in cultivating resilient, compassionate healthcare professionals.
VIHASA’s continental reach continues to grow, awakening a community of values-based care across Africa. Through six in-person trainings, over 360 facilitators have been equipped to share the program in their communities. Five online trainings have extended this impact to 15 African countries, with weekly facilitator circles now thriving in Nairobi. An Africa coordinator is actively mobilizing a network of more than 1,000 social workers across the continent, integrating VIHASA into skills development initiatives.
Countries engaged include Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mali, Liberia, Nigeria, Swaziland, and Mozambique, with additional reach through online sessions. The program has been introduced at the Botswana Ministry of Health and the Medical School in Maputo, Mozambique, further deepening its institutional presence.
OUR PEOPLE: THE HEART OF VIHASA
FACILITATORS: LIVING THE VALUES
VIHASA Africa is powered by a growing network of facilitators who embody the principles they teach. These are healthcare professionals, educators, social workers, and community leaders who have undergone intensive training in the VIHASA methodology. Many continue to meet weekly - in person and online - to deepen their practice, support one another, and bring values-based healing to their teams and communities.
From hospitals and universities to NGOs and government departments, our facilitators lead with compassion, creativity, and courage. They are not just trainers, they are role models of inner strength and service. Whether guiding a meditation, hosting a reflective dialogue, or co-creating a module, they bring authenticity and care to every interaction.
Their work spans across South Africa and beyond, with active circles in Nairobi and outreach in over 15 African countries. Together, they form a vibrant group of caregivers who uplift others by first nurturing themselves.
DR RAKSHA BALBADHUR: FOUNDER & VISIONARY
Dr Raksha Balbadhur is a medical doctor with over 24 years of experience and a Master’s degree in Palliative Medicine from the University of Cape Town. Her academic research explored the dignity experience of patients with advanced illness in South Africa, a reflection of her lifelong commitment to compassionate care.
As Founder and Chairperson of the Values in Healthcare Association (VIHASA), Dr Raksha has facilitated hundreds of experiential workshops across the continent. Her work bridges clinical excellence with spiritual depth, offering healthcare professionals tools to restore resilience, purpose, and inner peace.
She serves as a Board Member of Palprac, South Africa’s national palliative care body, and continues to advocate for values-based development in medical education, social services, and community health. Her presence brings calm, clarity, and deep meaning to the lives of those she touches - especially during their most vulnerable moments.
High patient loads and staff shortages
Burnout, compassion fatigue, and moral injury
Safety concerns and workplace trauma
Declining patient satisfaction and staff morale
THE URGENT NEED FOR VIHASA IN AFRICA
AFRICA’S PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEM FACES IMMENSE STRAIN:
These challenges demand more than technical fixes; they require a human-centred, values-based response that restores compassion, purpose, resilience, and connection in healthcare teams.
VIHASA offers a spiritually enriching, locally grounded, African-led compassion-focused programme for national implementation with a 20-year track record and deep cultural relevance.
THE VIHASA SOLUTION
VIHASA is a structured, experiential programme built around eight core modules: Inner Values, Being Peaceful, Being Positive, Compassionate Care for the Self and the Patient, Working in Teams, Valuing Yourself, Spirituality in Healthcare, and Building Resilience. Together, these modules provide a framework for strengthening values, fostering wellbeing, and sustaining carers in demanding environments.
The programme is delivered through reflective practices, guided imagery, group work, and practical tools such as compassionate listening, appreciation, creativity, play, meditation, and visualisation. These methods encourage self‑awareness, resilience, and holistic growth, equipping participants with the clarity and compassion needed to thrive in both personal and professional care.
FOUR LEVELS OF IMPACT
PROFESSIONAL
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Strengthen ethical
decision-making -
Improve teamwork and communication
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Manage workload and change with greater resilience
PERSONAL
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Build self-esteem and renew vitality
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Prioritise self-care to
prevent burnout -
Cultivate inner peace and emotional balance
ORGANISATIONAL
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Boost staff morale and retention
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Foster values-based
leadership -
Enhance performance
and cost-efficiency
EDUCATIONAL
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Introduce holistic,
values-based learning -
Support reflective
practice and personal
development -
Deepen understanding
of spiritual care in health settings
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The Values in Healthcare programme isn’t just a training - it’s a philosophy rooted in human experience. At its core are three guiding principles that shape every module, interaction, and outcome. These principles ensure that the journey is not only educational, but deeply personal and transformative.
Physician, Heal Thyself
The first principle places the caregiver at the heart of healing. Before professionals can sustainably care for others, they must nourish their own inner wellbeing. VIHASA honours this by creating space for reflection, renewal, and reconnection to purpose - restoring the altruism and vitality that often fade under pressure.
Learning Through Experience
Values are not best taught - they’re best felt. This principle emphasizes experiential learning, where silence, sharing, and creative exercises allow participants to explore values from within. It’s a shift from instruction to immersion, fostering insight that’s authentic and lasting.
Relevance to Work and Life
Every insight gained through VIHASA is meant to be lived. The programme bridges personal growth with professional practice, encouraging participants to reflect, plan, and apply their learning in real-world settings. This ensures that values aren’t abstract ideals - they become tools for resilience, compassion, and meaningful change.
MOMENTS THAT SPEAK VALUES
Explore the heart of VIHASA through images that capture connection, reflection, and transformation. From workshops to quiet moments of insight, each photo tells a story of care, community, and inner growth.
VOICES OF CARE & CONNECTION
Explore reflections from participants and partners who’ve journeyed with VIHASA Africa. These testimonials speak to the heart of our work - where values come alive, healing deepens, and communities grow stronger through shared experience.
This programme touched me deeply. It reminded me of the values that first inspired me to become a nurse, and gave me practical ways to bring compassion back into my daily work. I now feel more connected to my patients and colleagues than ever before.
Senior Nurse Educator
In the quiet act of caring, we remember our shared humanity.
Jack Kornfield
TOGETHER IN PURPOSE
Partnering with changemakers who lead with compassion, build resilience, and prioritize care for the carers.
