AS WE bemoan the effect of the sliding rand on our lifestyles, spare a thought for those just surviving on a limited budget and the impact on them of rising prices.
Increasingly, non-governmental organisations such as the Union of Jewish Women, have an ever important role to play in poverty alleviation, whether within the Jewish community or the broader community.
A small organisation can indeed make a significant impact.
The strength of our organisation is based entirely on the appeals we make to the Jewish community who respond to every request, whether for financial support or for material goods, with a generosity that is astonishing.
Our Mandela Day project was an excellent example. Our Bags for New Beginnings campaign was enormously successful. This project set out to collect all the necessities a new mother would need to care for her newborn baby. An appeal went out to the schools, and donations poured into our office. For a few days, we were overrun as a mountain of nappies, blankets, baby wipes, dummies, soap, babygrows, sanitary towels and other items took up every inch of available space.
A total of 250 baby and mom bags were packed and distributed to seven clinics and hospitals around Johannesburg and Soweto. Needless to say, the moms were overwhelmed and delighted with their bags.
Our next major project will take place on Mitzvah Day – the international inter-faith day dedicated to doing good deeds for those in need. This year, the theme for Mitzvah Day is Bringing Light to the Nations. We plan to work with other faith groups to collect as many solar lights as possible and distribute them around squatter camps which, as we all know, lack the most basic essentials, including electricity and electricity connections. If you are interested in sharing with us in this campaign, please contact our office.
Our thanks to all the schools, volunteers and our staff who ensure that despite our limited resources, we reach so many people in need. UJW can be contact at projects@ujw.co.za
