Partnerships empowering communities in South Africa

The journey to better health is not always smooth. In countries such as South Africa with large remote, rural areas, accessing medical care can be challenging for many. 

Back in 1994, a truly unique and effective solution was implemented – a dedicated train service acting as a mobile healthcare clinic traveling to areas of rural South Africa, providing a range of healthcare services.  

The Phelophepa train (Phelophepa means "good, clean health"), is owned and operated by Transnet Foundation, a freight logistics company, and was supported by Roche from the first ever train journey. Thirty years on, and the single three-car train has expanded to three 19-coach trains, travelling to 70 remote communities every year, and the project has touched the lives of some 15 million people.

It’s an extraordinary success story, made possible by the dedication of the travelling medical staff, who provide a range of healthcare services including dental, ophthalmological, psychological and general health. In those 30 years, the staff have dispensed medication to over 3 million patients, provided health screening to over 2 million people, and provided healthcare education training to 15,000 volunteers. 

For Roche, the Phelophepa train was one of our longest-running philanthropic programmes, and perfectly exemplifies the type of partnership we seek to be involved in: one that solves a clear unmet need, in a very impactful way, and which is sustainable for the long term. With the Phelophepa train well established, our proud 30-year partnership concluded in 2024, as we sought to direct our resources to other areas of unmet need in South Africa where we could continue to have an impact on improving health.  

In 2024, we committed to funding 25 Unjani Clinics across South Africa by 2029. Unjani (meaning “How are you?” in Zulu and Xhosa) Clinics bring quality affordable healthcare services to underserved communities in largely rural settings, while empowering black women nurses and creating employment within local communities. The clinics are enabling rapid access to healthcare for many people who would otherwise have delayed their medical care or would have simply gone without. It is another example of a truly innovative programme, driven by brilliant and dedicated people on the ground, which can have a significant impact on the lives of many South Africans. You can find out more about the impact that Unjani Clinics are already having for local communities

In the meantime, the Phelophepa train keeps running all over rural South Africa, its destination the better health of its citizens. We are proud to have played our part in this success story, and we look forward to seeing this extraordinary journey continue long into the future. 

Want to find out more?to watch the incredible story of Mpho Phaka, a cancer screening nurse on the Phelophepa train, who had to contend with her own cancer diagnosis.