Phelophepa (pronounced pay-lo-pe-pa) means "good, clean health". It's the name of two custom-built trains that deliver primary health care to remote areas of South Africa. Brought to life in 1994 as a three-coach eye clinic project, our “Miracle Train” has grown to reach 375;000 people every year. 90;000 patients treated, 68;000 prescriptions written running two trains of hope. In conjunction with our outreach programmes, we have reached over 20 million people since inception.
With about 20 resident staff members using on-board, state-of-the-art medical equipment, the trains serve about 360 000 patients annually, spending 35 weeks each year on the rails, and visiting 70 stations to provideg facilities for health, oral and vision screening programmes and basic health education.
It is this hope that we give to the people, and the smiles we bring out of our patients that has kept Phelophepa on the rails for the past 20 years. Long live Phelophepa!
