Helping out in your community
Retrenchments are continuing. Veronica Mofokeng shares how her church is helping in her community in and around Bethlehem.
Through this economic crisis that we find ourselves in, some of us are losing our jobs but it is not our fault. My church is trying to help eradicate poverty, hardship and suffering.The service is there for all needy community members, whatever their affiliation or denomination.
There are three main programmes. The first one is called "Thuthukani". This means 'let's develop together' in isiZulu. This project works with people who want their lives to change but who don’t have the skills to know how to change. It helps them to get "new skills so that they can become strong and effective community organizations".
The second programme concentrates on helping unemployed women, men and youth to set up vegetable gardens. It also assists those who have larger plots of land and trains them in agricultural skills.
The church believes that over the years there has been a "loss in market garden skills". Also they suspect that people regarded vegetable production "as a menial task", they didn’t want to get their hands dirty. The project will encourage, train and support volunteers to "enhance livelihood security and self reliance".
The final programme trains community members in organisational development skills. It also shows them how to develop a community kitchen so that they can assist the "hungry and/or malnourished, especially children, the elderly and those infected by HIV/AIDS".
This programme is called "Impilo", an isiZulu word meaning life. It wants those that are able, to improve the lives of those that are able.
The church also works with a skills training project called Bethlehem Basic Training Project (BBTP). This project teaches basic building, plumbing and welding.It knows there is HIV/Aids in the community so it helps train and support those that are home-based carers. In Ficksburg it helps to run a hospice called Gethesemane Health Care Centre that looks after people who are in the last stages of incurable illnesses eg Aids or cancer.
In Reitz it helps fund an old-age home called Mmabahloki.
I am challenging Numsa members, especially those living in this area. You are also invited to phone this number if you can give your support or if you need some support.Tel: 058 303 9447Fax: 058 303 8584 (Thanks to the CCS for details on their projects)
Government helps through "Social relief of distress grant"If you have lost your job and are waiting for payment from UIF or your provident fund and your family has no other means of support, you can apply for a Social Relief of Distress Grant from your nearest SA Social Security Agency Office. This grant is normally issued for up to three months.
But it can be extended for another three months.The grant is paid in the form of food, a voucher or as a cash payment. You cannot get it if you are already receiving food aid from another source.
What documents do you need to apply?* proof that you have no income eg a letter from a religious leader, a councillor, a social worker or an affidavit from yourself* ID or birth certificate that proves your identity* proof of temporary medical disability if you are medically disabled
(Thanks to the Black Sash for information)
Source
Numsa News
