Child Welfare Kempton Park is in a dire financial crisis
Child Welfare Kempton Park is at the brink of shutting down.
GUESTS were dressed to the nines at Child Welfare Kempton Park’s first gala dinner at The Aviator Hotel on October 28.
“This is our fund-raising initiative to help the ailing finances of our organisation,” said Makha Thusi, director at Child Welfare South Africa Kempton Park.
“We are going through a serious financial crisis that is threatening the shutting down of our offices. The organisation has already sold three of its vehicles in an effort to pay its debts which includes over R300 000 owed to SARS.”
The organisation attributes its current financial state to mismanagement of funds while it was under the administration of the national office.
“When we took over in 2016, we discovered that the society was in serious debt,” said Thusi.
Attempts to get head office to pay the fees have fallen on deaf ears. Thusi said the financial dilemma was a problem for the children the organisation served.
“The organisation services 2 000 children in and around Kempton Park; children who are abused, neglected and exposed to a lot of exploitation such as child trafficking where they are turned into prostitutes and get involved in drugs, including peddling drugs,” said Thusi.
“The event’s theme was ‘It takes a child to raise a village’ and with that we say to all that this dream will be a distant one if we don’t hold hands and support Child Welfare Kempton Park to ensure these children are in safe, stable and healthy communities.
“The event was aimed at asking people to donate in cash or kind to help sustain the organisation, including the child protection services that all social workers, volunteers and students relentlessly deliver to the children, including families and the community.”
Thusi also told EXPRESS people can also donate old clothes and furniture.
“Please donate any amount or stuff you do not need; there is nothing too little, in fact, little is more,” said Thusi.
“By saving us you are saving the 2 000 children whose future is doomed should the organisation shut down.”
Raffles and auctions were among the evening’s activities which saw the organisation raise an estimated R35 000.
