Cleaner neighbourhoods come at a cost as Let’s Work appeals for support

From cleaner parks and pavements to maintained road islands and public spaces, clean neighbourhoods come at a cost.

Let’s Work’s 24-man team works across Ward 88, Emmarentia, Roosevelt Park and surrounding communities to improve neighbourhoods, but the non-profit organisation says it faces a growing challenge in finding the funding to keep its team working.

Founder Felicity Lawlor said the organisation had the manpower and most of the equipment needed to carry out community work, but lacked the consistent financial support required to pay workers and cover operating costs. Lawlor said stipends for the team could exceed R14 000 a week, depending on the work and the number of people working. This could amount to more than R60 000 a month, before transport, fuel, vehicle maintenance, equipment repairs and consumables are factored in. The organisation also needs tools, brushcutters, protective equipment, paint, refuse bags and other materials to complete its work.

She described the funding shortage as serious, explaining that the team was ready to work six days a week, identifying areas that needed attention, but without sufficient funding, Let’s Work would have to scale back the work it could undertake.

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Lawlor added that it was particularly difficult when workers were told there was not enough money to keep everyone working in the future, as they still needed to pay rent, feed their families and send their children to school.

Lawlor is appealing to residents, community groups and local businesses to help sustain the organisation through regular donations, once-off contributions or project-specific sponsorships. She said even modest contributions could add up: if 100 households each donated R100, the organisation would raise R10 000.

Businesses can also contribute through monthly sponsorships, once-off donations or by covering specific costs, such as fuel, workers’ stipends, equipment or materials for a particular project. Residents and businesses can also help sponsor a day’s work or a clean-up project. Lawlor said the organisation would discuss the area and the work required, assess the resources available and do its best to complete the task.

Lawlor said businesses had a vested interest in supporting the areas where their customers and employees lived and worked. “Businesses benefit from the same neighbourhoods we are working to maintain,” she said. “Supporting Let’s Work is a practical way to invest in the communities where their customers and employees live and work.”

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Lawlor said Let’s Work aimed to give people opportunities to earn an income while doing something positive for their communities. She urged residents who could not afford to donate to share the organisation’s appeals, connect it with potential sponsors, donate usable tools or equipment, identify areas needing attention or organise neighbourhood collections. “We often hear complaints about neglected public spaces, and we understand the frustration,” Lawlor said, “but if we have the people ready to work, shouldn’t we be asking how we can help make that work possible?”

She added that the organisation could not continue delivering work at the level communities needed without ongoing support. “We have the people. We have most of the equipment. We have the willingness to work. What we desperately need is the funding to make it happen,” she said. “Please help us keep these 24 men working and our communities looking better.”

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