A prayer session was held on February 20 in Alberton North for occupants of the so-called Funny Farm, an informal settlement in Alberton.

The prayer session was led by Alberton SAPS management and Laetitia de Kock from Live On the Streets (LOTS).

LOTS is autonomous, interdependent, Jesus-centred outreach striving to be ‘The Body of Christ’ on the streets of Alberton. It is an organisation with the view to restoring the dignity and self-worth of those who find themselves sleeping on the streets. Alberton SAPS is charged with enforcing policing functions in and around the Alberton area.

@albertonrecordThe prayer session was led by Alberton SAPS management and Laetitia de Kock from Live On the Streets (LOTS). LOTS is autonomous, interdependent, Jesus-centred outreach striving to be ‘The Body of Christ’ on the streets of Alberton. It is an organisation with the view to restoring the dignity and self-worth of those who find themselves sleeping on the streets. Alberton SAPS is charged with enforcing policing functions in and around the Alberton area. Full story albertonrecord.co.za♬ original sound – Alberton Record

“Thank you very much for everything that you do for Alberton. I know that in most cases, people write you guys off and say you’re the ones doing bad things. But it is good to acknowledge when a bit of good is being done. The clean-up campaign you guys led is very commendable. Parts of Alberton North were very bad, but you guys made an effort to clean it up, and for that I thank you,” said Colonel Letloenyane.

Funny Farm is riddled with poverty, alcohol and drug abuse, and in some instances, crimes in Alberton are attributed to occupants of that informal settlement. Alberton SAPS and LOTS used the prayer session to help steer the occupants of Funny Farm into a more productive and positive position.

Colonel Letloenyane said he also hopes the session will encourage them to lead better lives.

@albertonrecordAlberton SAPS station commander, Colonel Olivein Letloenyane – accompanied by other SAPS officers and a representative from SAPS, held hands with occupants of Alberton’s funny farm and encouraged them to lead better lives. Full story on albertonrecord.co.za

♬ original sound – Alberton Record

Speaking after the prayer session, an occupant of the informal settlement, Honourable Jah Lucky, said: “From my team and me, thank you to everyone who is trying to help us. Police officers who are trying to help us with everything they can and everyone else make us very happy. I just hope we can take this momentum and run with it and do better in our lives.”

Lucky and a group from the Funny Farm recently led a clean-up campaign to foster positive change in the neighbourhood.

@albertonrecordLucky and a group from the Funny Farm recently led a clean-up campaign to foster positive change in the neighbourhood. They cut grass at a local park, removed weeds from sidewalks, and swept in and around the Alberton SAPS station. Full story on albertonrecord.co.za♬ original sound – Alberton Record

They cut grass at a local park, removed weeds from sidewalks, and swept in and around the Alberton SAPS station.

Many streets and parks in Alberton remain unmaintained, with weeds and visibly overgrown grass. The group from the Funny Farm told the Alberton Record that they were trying to change that.

WATCH: Occupants of Alberton North’s funny farm led a neighbourhood clean-up campaign