Contribute to St George’s Home this Mandela Day
There are various ways to help, including donating food, toiletries, blankets, linen, curtains and single bed mattresses for the children
MAKE a difference in a child’s life by contributing to St George’s Home this Mandela Day.
This Mandela Day, the Kempton youth shelter is appealing to the public to help it sustain and improve the home by contributing in various ways. The ways in which community members can help include donating food, toiletries, blankets, linen, curtains and single bed mattresses for the children. Clothing and shoes for the kids, as well as crockery and cutlery for the home, are also welcome.
“The community can also assist the home with the renovation of the kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms. Even sponsoring a thorough cleaning of the home and assisting us with paying for over-the-counter medication for the children, will make all the difference in the world,” Sandhira Poonsamy, senior public affairs manager, said.
Alternatively, people are also welcome to make monetary contributions.
St George’s Home is part of a residential youth life skills programme. It is situated in Kempton Park and houses 28 youth. The aim of the programme is to ensure that young people are not isolated and participate socially and economically as citizens. The beneficiaries of the programme are young people who have been abused or neglected, as well as children who have previously lived on the streets.
St George’s is part of COACH, a charity organisation that comprises three children’s homes: St George’s, St Joseph’s and St Nicolas’. The homes have since transformed from being just providers of custodial care to being therapeutic, ‘life space’ intervention centres where children are given basic and essential life skills. Unfortunately, due to tough economic times, St Joseph’s was closed down.
At St George’s Home, COACH helps to stabilise young people’s lives by providing a home with on-going counselling and support.
“COACH have developed a range of skills and place particular emphasis on Adult Education and Training. Once youths have completed the programme, COACH assists them with bursaries for further training. Youngsters need to obtain a skill or qualification, which enables them to work and support themselves,” Poonsamy explained.
For more information, contact Poonsamy on 011 616 4015 or email sandhira@coach.org.za.
For more information about the home’s programmes, visit www.coach.org.za.
