WATCH: Turffontein father and son fighting desperate times
Jaco wants to see his father and himself in a better place.
Joseph Edgar (68) and his son Jaco (41) from Turffontein are desperately in need of a place to stay.
They both receive grants. Joseph receives one for pension while Jaco receives a disability grant, as he can’t work.
They live in a one-roomed flat and have been given until the end of November to vacate the place.
Jaco said they used to live with their niece in Steeledale before relocating about nine years ago.
“My mum died 10 years ago and now I have to take care of my epileptic father, who is in a wheelchair. We live in squalor here and need someone who can help us.
“We live on handouts and normally get food from soup kitchens in the area. The Salvation Army helps us as well,” explained Jaco.
He also mentioned it is difficult to help his father up the stairs, as they live on the first floor of the flats.
“Life is difficult, but I wish to thank Rebirthz Foundation who has been helping us lately. They made a difference,” he said.
Rebirthz Foundation NPO intervention
Members of Rebirthz Foundation NPO Nozipho Ngwenya-Okpara (founder and chairperson) and Zodwa Udechukwu (secretary) have been helping the family.
They are helping other people as well, like the poor, homeless, widows and orphans. They counsel them, pray for them and give them food through the foundation’s administered street mission.
“We visit them where they live, it can either be their homes or on the streets. Every three weeks of the month we cook for them. All this we do out of love for the people and from our pockets, we have no funders.
“As a group of 10 people, we always try our best to help where we can. People want to live a clean life; however, at times it is difficult to take people to rehab as we are a young foundation which started in 2020,” explained Nozipho.
They say they have a handful of people on their files who need help and they are extending an invite to the community to help the foundation to reach more people.
“Together we can help to clean our city. The homeless would also like to be part of that clean-up, but we need resources. When we meet them in the streets, we interview them and we find out that lots of them have the potential to change their life for the better only if they can be given an opportunity,” she said.
Rebirthz Foundation NPO urges the community to help them with any non-perishable food items, blankets and clothes for men, especially small and medium sizes, as they give the clothes to homeless people or street dwellers.
For more information contact Nozipho on 060 363 3372 or visit their Facebook page Rebirthz Foundation NPO.
