Atteridgeville organisation determined to fight poverty

Ponelopele community development is determined to fight poverty in Atteridgeville West.

This organisation launched Kasi Edutainment in 2017 to offer local learners mentorship, counselling and motivation.

It later expanded to give underprivileged children breakfast before they went to school.

Managing director Jacob Madisha said the breakfast initiative was started to help children that come from poverty so they do not go to school on an empty stomach.

“My team and I started this organisation because our team consists of people who used to sleep on an empty stomach and people who can relate to the situation that these children are facing,” he said.

This development is a diversified non-profit company that uplifts, empowers, sustains and solves social economic issues and injustices to eradicate poverty, inspiring the youth and empowering the country.

Madisha said the situations that they faced while young placed in them the desire to help and empower the community, as they too were underprivileged.

The organisation donates clothes and distributes them to orphanages, homes of safety, drop-in centres and indigent families.

It serves the community a freshly cooked meal to mitigate the high rate of unemployment in the area.

Although it has struggled to secure bread and other resources needed to cater for the children, the organisation vowed to remain committed to its cause.

Not only does it offer food to the community, but it also offers advocacy for gender-based violence victims and empowerment programmes.

Madisha said: “The inspiration comes from his upbringing since he comes from a poor family, and seeing children growing up as I did broke my heart.

“I am really inspired to help them realise that no matter where they come from or how they grew up, they can be whatever they want to be.”

The organisation also runs a project – Give To One Child – through which it collects donations of school shoes, sanitary pads, stationery, school uniforms and body lotion to distribute to unprivileged children.

Ponelopele is currently working on launching its pop-up library and after-school academy for learners to borrow books, study and seek assistance with their school work.

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