A home for the homeless

WOW Ministries launched their A Home for The Homeless project during a function in the city of Friday eneving.
Karen Bothma, founder of WOW Ministries told those present that homelessness was a far more serious situation than people realise and that reasons for homelessness vary from emotional breakdown and financial difficulties to addictions and or the unavailability of affordable housing. People feel they have no hope and many have no one to turn to.
Bothma quoted the latest statistics that show 25 to 50% of the working population in South Africa to be between the ages 16 and 64.
She pointed out that members of the community do not usually understand that there are many reasons for someone to live on the street. Many homeless persons sell their bodies for food and shelter and Bothma stated that our problems are small when one realises what the homeless must go through.
WOW Ministries plans to open a huge facility to get the homeless off the streets where they can find a temporary home to get back on their feet. Bothma stated that if each person in Polokwane can give one brick, this facility can be built sooner.

This home will serve as a temporary home to support the homeless for a period of time where they will be given food, clothing, shelter, emotional support, counselling and will be enrolled in a programme so that these people can be integrated back into their communities. The institution will then help them find employment to be able to sustain themselves. She iterated that this institution will not be another shelter, only a halfway house.
“We need to equip the homeless so that they never go hungry again. To just provide food and clothing to the homeless, is not a solution. We need to teach them a skill to be able to function in society again,” she said.
Will Jordan provided entertainment for the event and everyone enjoyed the music whilst visiting with family and friends.

Story and photos: Alet-Elize van Jaarsveld
>>alet-elize@observer.co.za

Featured photo: Armand, Enid and Dominic Erasmus in attendance at the launch of WOW Ministries’ A Home for the Homeless project.