Diabetes Peer Support

Diabetes Peer Support is an important topic in South Africa. We need as many people with lived experience speaking up about diabetes as possible!

You might have heard of Siyabonga Kwanele’s work before. He’s a diabetes advocate (with a YouTube channel!) whose voice is addressing barriers and stigmas attached to diabetes in his community in KwaZulu Natal.

Diabetes peer support at schools and community events

Siyabonga’s talks at schools and community events focused on addressing stigma that can often become a part of a larger problem of discrimination and misinformation. He caught us up on what he’s been doing to create more conversations about diabetes in his community over the last few months.

In December 2024, Siyabonga spoke at uKhisimusi WoGogo noMkhulu (Christmas Festivities for Grannies and Grandpas) in Mpophomeni. He used the opportunity to reaffirm the 5 symptoms of diabetes – something to look out for in themselves, as well as their grandchildren.

Diabetes advocacy work

Siyabonga’s diabetes advocacy work was funded by aQuellé’s Together Let’s Beat Diabetes project. It includes school assembly talks, classroom visits and community events to help share information and build community.

In February this year, Siyabonga was invited to speak in Mpophomeni at Isibaya Samadoda (“The Men’s Barn”). It was an event dedicated to addressing pressing issues that affect men in the community and society at large. Siyabonga advocated for speaking openly about issues men face and addressed how diabetes can be a contributing factor in issues such as GBV (gender based violence). He also highlighted the realities of depression that leads to the alarming suicide rates amongst men.

Following his work in February, Siyabonga held assemblies, lessons and engagements with schools in and around Howick and Mpophomeni. He shared his own diabetes diagnosis story with the school children, and covered topics such as peer pressure, diabetes stigma, the difference between Type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and the 5 symptoms of diabetes.

Siyabonga’s diabetes peer support mission

The mission for Siyabonga’s work is:

• To provide diabetes peer support to those living with diabetes.
• To raise awareness about diabetes using all available platforms.
• To empower those living with diabetes through diabetes education.
• To eradicate diabetes stigma.

How does Siyabonga support his vision?

Siyabonga’s vision is the eradication of diabetes stigma by empowering people living with diabetes through peer support, inclusion, and accessible diabetes education.

Together we can do plenty and not feel empty.

As part of his funding from aQuellé in November 2024, Siyabonga received a donation which allowed him to invest in branding and advertising his service. The result? Diabetes Peer Support with SK.

This included branding, banners and flyers to support his service offering.

Why does Siyabonga do this work?

Siyabonga believes that advocacy forms an integral part of bridging the wide gap between awareness, knowledge and stigma about diabetes in the country. Even more so in areas that are predominantly traditional like KwaZulu Natal. This is so important to reduce stigma, increase access to resources and ultimately empower people living with diabetes and their families.

As a 28 year old young African man from KwaZulu-Natal who has been living with Type 1
diabetes for 17 years, diabetes advocacy is a cause very close to my heart.

How does this impact Siyabonga’s community?

I had no idea just how much work needed to be done and still needs to be done with regard to driving the importance of diabetes awareness just within my community.

Through his work, Siyabonga has become someone who broke the barrier and stigma attached to diabetes in the communities he’s visited. He is now known as ubhuti washukela (the diabetes guy), empowering schoolkids and other community members with accurate information. This information can then be shared with their families and friends. Siyabonga has directly reached over 3100 people in his community, with plans to reach more! His Living With Diabetes series on YouTube will help him reach more communities and expand his collaborations with stakeholders.

I look back at my journey – albeit just started – and I am in awe of how many lives I have had the opportunity of impacting through the various platforms I have been able to be a part of through my work.

Siyabonga Kwanele Zuma

Siyabonga believes there is so much we can do within our communities to make diabetes education easily accessible. “We need to make the knowledge of diabetes a norm in our society!” he says . From working alongside organizations that have supported his work to having important engagements with community stakeholders, there is so much potential.

What do you think? Would you be interested in trying out peer support in your community? Let us know by joining our community!