Mould Empower Serve (MES) and the Voortrekker Road Corridor Improvement District (VRCID) recently established a new Drop-in Centre which will provide social relief, rehabilitation as well as offer skills development to street people within the Parow area.
Since lockdown started poverty has risen in Parow which has increased the need for social relief (clothes and food), addiction rehabilitation opportunities, social work services and skills development, a spokesperson says. Street people can now report to the Drop-in Centre for job rehabilitation, receive a meal, and have access to social development services.
“Mes has appointed Gertrude Bosman-April, a social worker, who is delivering social development services at the centre on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. There are also life skills workshops every day before lunch to motivate the beneficiaries of the food canteen to change their lives. Although the Drop-in Centre is primarily for adults, Bijou Nkonko from the El-Theos Drop-in Centre hosts programmes for street children from 09:00 to 11:00 every morning at the centre,” says Wilma Piek, VRCID social development manager.
The Bellville and Parow joint operations committee (JOC) was started with the goal to develop an integrated strategy towards street based adults and children in the area. The JOC brings together all role players and interested parties, including faith based organisations, businesses, individuals, law enforcement entities and nonprofit organisations, to meet and collaborate. The JOC was instrumental in speeding up the launch of the Drop-in Centre, foreseeing the effect that the lockdown would have on poverty in the area.
“Our vision is for the Drop-in Centre to have a long-term impact for every street based individual in Parow,” says Ilse Maartens, branch manager of Mes Cape Town.
Pictured above are part of the team at the Drop-in Centre in Parow. From left to right: Gerda Gerber, Allistair Scholtz, Gertrude Bosman-April and Nomdimusu Tofile.
