Arisen Women Foundation founder Sheila Scoble, 76, who died in hospital on Friday February 7, has been hailed a champion of community healthcare in Mitchell's Plain.
Image: Supplied
Family and friends of the late Sheila Scoble, cofounder of Arisen Women Foundation paid their final respects to the revered community health champion on Saturday February 15.
She died in hospital on Friday February 7 at the age of 76 – two years after retiring from the organisation, and was laid to rest at Muizenberg Cemetery.
Originally from Kimberley, Ms Scoble and her husband Pastor Victor Scoble, moved to Mitchell’s Plain in 1978, where they raised their three daughters, the late Desiree Jacobs, Bonita Cookson and Chantal Scoble. In 2001, she founded Arisen Women with her youngest daughter Chantal.
Family spokesperson Kirsten Scoble said her grandparents were the visionaries behind the organisation, as they sought to create a safe haven for women and children.
“Their vision has come to fruition through the work of Arisen Women Foundation. My grandmother dedicated her life to community service and healthcare and began her nursing career at just 16 years old at Kimberley Hospital.
“She went on to serve communities with compassion and retired at the age of 74,” Kirsten said.
What began as a small initiative in a container with just four individuals – Sheila and Chantal Scoble, Gaynor Dankers and Patricia Abrahams – has since grown into an organisation with 160 employees.
Today, Arisen Women Foundation continues to transform lives, equipping women with the skills and opportunities to build better futures for themselves and their families.
Family, friends, employees and nursing colleagues of late Sheila Scoble, cofounder of Arisen Women Foundation, attended a memorial service held in the Mitchell's Plain community healthcare champion's honour at Westridge Civic on Wednesday February 13.
Image: Alicia English
Ms Scoble, a registered nurse and fondly known to many as Sister Sheila, was a passionate educator, who trained over 30 000 women and, on occasion, men in healthcare, explained Chantal.
Many of her trainees pursued formal nursing education at a tertiary level and became nurses, while others joined agencies or worked abroad, she said.
“My mother believed in excellence in nursing care and instilled pride in the nursing uniform, ensuring that the community of Mitchell's Plain received the best possible care from those with a true passion for helping others.
“She didn't just preach the gospel. She shared her knowledge so that those who could not be educated could learn a skill so that people, especially women, could earn a living. She taught women to become independent,” she said.
Chantal said her late mother was a symbol of hope, strength, and courage.
“Her legacy lives on through the work of the Arisen Women Foundation, which remains committed to her lifelong mission of empowering and uplifting communities.
Ms Scoble is survived by her husband, two daughters, three sons-in-law, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
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