After the violence and unrest that directly preceded Mandela Day 2021, the spirit of the occasion was particularly pertinent this year. As fires still smouldered in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, the CPM team visited charitable organisations in all 4 provinces.
Our Gauteng offices delivered necessity goods to Kids Haven in Benoni, which was received with heartfelt thanks. Their vitally important work involves rehabilitating and re-integrating children with street connections back into society, and many success stories reflect their dedication and impact. They currently provide 155 children with love and shelter in a nurturing, secure environment. The kids are given guidance, therapy and training so that they can rise to be the best version of themselves and reclaim their rightful place in the community. There are many ways you too can support Kids Haven, from direct donations to volunteering, and they’re also registered on the MySchool card system.
Head office donated soup in bulk and staff rolled up their sleeves to make sandwiches for The Haven Night Shelter, a welfare organisation that provides temporary shelter, physical and social care, and family re-unification services to adult homeless persons in the Western Cape. For just R75 you can sponsor a bed for 5 nights for someone whose alternative is facing a wet and freezing Cape Town winter on the streets, in the midst of a pandemic! There are many easy ways to donate and the Haven also accepts volunteers. With 15 shelters in and around Cape Town, they are providing a vital service, and if you’re a Capetonian, there’s sure to be one near you. They are also active on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
CPM KwaZulu-Natal visited the Khulani Children’s Shelter to drop off a selection of staples that were highly appreciated. The home currently houses 15 children that they provide food, sanitation and housing for, as well as clothing and transport for school. They, like so many non-profits, are struggling due to the results of Covid19 measures. A critical project they are urgently seeking help with is the maintenance of the structure that shelters their dependents. If you are in a position to help, please contact founder Prudence Mwandla on info@khulanishelter.co.za or 031 563 0032 | 084 822 1682. You can follow their journey and learn more about them on Facebook.
Our Eastern Cape branch put together a food parcel donation for MTR Smit Children’s Haven. This multi-racial institution currently accommodates 100 underprivileged, abandoned and abused minors between the ages of 3 and 18 years, and also provides for mentally disabled children who have been removed from parental care in terms of the Child Care Act. Support them by donating items from their wish list or contact them directly to see how you could get involved.
We were delighted to contribute to these crucial organisations that are soldiering on through political and social upheaval, health crises and economic hardship. If there’s anything the past year has taught us, it’s that when you look for the good in South Africans, you’ll find it in truckloads.