The challenge that the project addresses
Poverty and Homelessness
What is your project doing to respond to this challenge?
We advertise the project annually on social media and collect donations from different people and corporations, if we are lucky. The NGO has a team of volunteers who assist with gathering supplies starting from blankets, food and essentials such as masks and sanitizers. Because we do not have funding we rely on the amount we receive from individuals to buy those essentials for the homeless during winter. Because the homeless don’t have shelter and move around often, we target them around 4am/5am when the streets are quiet.
Describe the project's impact
We have since grown as an NGO and have more support from people around country; individuals and corporations. We have managed to run other projects and received good support through donations. More individuals want to join and assist with our projects. Furthermore, the homeless people at least can make it throughout winter with an extra layer of warmth and covid-19 essentials. If we had more funds, we could make the drive more than once in winter and add more to the package given. Most importantly, my foundation encouraged more people to start and run their own initiatives similar to our project.
How will you spend the R20,000 award if you win?
We have always wanted to have a “Christmas Special Project” where we buy groceries for families in need who live in disadvantaged areas. Especially now with the increased unemployment rate. Initially we planned a soup kitchen but due to Covid-19 restrictions, buying groceries for families will last them longer than a single meal.
What do you hope to achieve?
- Do more than just give blankets once a year
- We wish to instill hope into the lives of the homeless and get back on their feet
- Encourage them to overcome drug and substance abuse and be more like whistleblowers in the city of Pretoria.
- Have activations to discuss things such as crime and violence
- Reduce the crime and violence rate
- Encourage more people to join and assist with helping those in need