Angela opens her heart to the W’burg community
With a goal to help eradicate social illnesses, former enrolled nurse and qualified social worker, Angela Salter from Westenburg, wants to open her heart to victims of these social illnesses.
POLOKWANE – Her passion to help victims of especially substance abuse in her community stems from her work as a member of the Central Drug Authority (CDA).
“I have been taking in children whose parents have fallen victim of substance abuse for five years now. These children usually come to stay with me when they have nowhere to go after school and over weekends.
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“I provide them with shelter and food until their parents come to pick them up. I want to offer them a safe haven where they are exposed to a situation unaffected by substance and alcohol abuse so they can see it is not the only way of life. This in turn will encourage them to stay away from substance and alcohol abuse themselves so they can build a better future for themselves and their community,” Salter explained.
She told BONUS her years of working with children affected by drug and substance abuse prompted her to start a crisis relief centre where she will care for mothers and children affected by these social ills.
Salter said aside from providing a safe haven for these victims, all children in need will be able to come to the centre after school for a nutritious meal and to do their homework.
“The crisis centre, Adonai Crisis Centre, will help to keep the children off the streets while encouraging them to focus on their education.
“This haven will keep them safe from other dangers such as kidnapping and rape as well. The Adonai Crisis Centre will incorporate three programmes namely the feeding programme, shelter for those who have no roof over their heads as well as a library where children will be helped with their homework,” she said.
Salter is in the process of registering the centre as a non-profit organisation in order to secure financial support from the government as she currently relies solely on donations from the community and what she buys herself to run the centre.
As a qualified social worker, Salter said she also gives the children and women who come to the centre for help counselling, adding she tries by all means to educate not only them but the entire community about the various social ills which can negatively affect communities and give them advice how to avoid becoming victims.
