The VRCID’s social field workers are from left, Allistair Scholtz, Veronica Geduld and Tonio Gantan. With the growing number of homeless and vulnerable people in Bellville and Parow, social development and upliftment remains a priority for the Voortrekker Road Corridor Improvement District VRCID , the organisation says.
Tonio Gantana, a new field worker, has been appointed and will work together with field workers Allistair Scholtz and Veronica Geduld to liaise with street people. Under the management of Wilma Piek, head of the VRCID’s social development team, together with Mould Empower Serve Mes and other partner organisations and NGOs, provide muchneeded services to the homeless and vulnerable. The necessity and demand for social development services has increased exponentially since the pandemic started.
As a result, the VRCID and partners moved their emphasis towards social development services. They served 81 900 meals to the homeless and vulnerable during the 50 days oflockdown levels 4 and 5, and saw a 1 375% increase in job creation for Mes workers from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020 among many other successes.
“Our fieldworkers are the most important component to engage with the streetbased people to meet them where they are at and to offer them assistance,” comments Wilma Piek, VRCID’s Social Development Manager.
Gantana says, “Just this morning, when I was out in the field, we helped a homeless woman bypass the long queues to get her Covid19 test required to book into the temporary housing structure Paint City all in under two hours. This was due to the incredible networks that the VRCID team have created, which allows you to make a difference in people’s lives. We become agents of change, and that’s what makes it all worth it.”
