NGOs wish residents a happy festive season
The NGOs are calling for donations to continue carrying out their work in the CBD and urge residents to ‘be the difference in the world that you want to see’.
As the year draws to a close, here are some well wishes to residents from NGOs operating in the CBD.
Unchain Our Children (UOC)
UOC is an NGO aimed at combatting human trafficking, child abuse, gender-based violence, and any other violations of human rights using direct intervention.
Founding director, Wayne van Onselen said their biggest highlight of the year was the Notties 100 event on September 13 (100km endurance event against human trafficking).
For more about this event, visit https://notties100.co.za.
“We also have a Christmas drive for the children placed in places of safety within the organisation His Children Foundation South Africa (7 Places of Safety houses – https://www.facebook.com/hischildrenfoundationSA).
“We will also be hosting a Golden Oldies Christmas party for our pensioners in need,” said Van Onselen.
He urged residents to assist the NGO by donating via financial aid, donating goods for their families in need, and care bags for our children. These bags are given to babies, children and teens removed from their homes due to child abuse. People can also sponsor a child for their Christmas project.
“Be the difference in the world that you want to see, let your voice be heard and speak out for children,” said Van Onselen.
Kitso Lesedi
Kitso Lesedi is a Christian NGO founded in October 2006. Its objectives are to reduce homelessness, fight poverty and create a clean and safe environment for those who are homeless, under bridges, in parks, and at dilapidated buildings in the city (sheltered and unsheltered). It is registered as a public benefit organisation (PBO). Donations are tax-deductible.
In April, the NGO opened a homeless shelter for women and children on 471 Belvedere Street and opened two additional shelters for men, Nokulunga in Sunnyside and Maphuti in Arcadia.
Founder and CEO Maki Tselapedi pays homage to the NGO’s faith in getting through the year.
“Due to financial difficulties, 2024 was the worst year but through His grace, we won,” said Tselapedi.
These shelters need donations of washing machines, fridges, stoves, printing machines and volunteer expertise.
The Waratwa Foundation
The Waratwa Foundation has held two charity drives in the inner city this year.
On June 15, the foundation partnering with Nkosinathi Mahlangu’s Blaze Topix Foundation distributed food, clothes, and sanitary pads and offered free haircuts to the homeless on the corner of Edmond Street and Nelson Mandela Drive.
The NPO needs assistance with the following:
– Samp and maize meal
– Stew or chicken
– Vegetables (cabbage, carrots, potatoes
– Fruits (bananas/ apples)
– 300 water bottles
– Packaging (disposal plates and cups)
– Juice
– Sanitary pads/toothpaste/soap/face cloths
– Snacks.
“I’d like to wish Central residents a very happy festive season filled with love and joy. For 2025, we’d love to partner with rehabilitation centres because we can give the homeless clothes and food but then, it doesn’t fulfil our main objective which is to help the homeless out of the streets. So we urge any rehabilitation centres who can work with us to reach out. We also are looking forward to doing pad drives and school shoe drives because many children in disadvantaged areas walk barefoot to school,” said founder Oratile Motsusi.
Interested parties can reach out to blazetopix@gmail.com to get in contact with the foundations or visit their socials:
@blaze_topix sa (TikTok)
Blaze Topix SA (Facebook)
@blaze_topix sa (Instagram).
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.
