- What is poverty?
- How can you help?
- Places you can get help
Poverty and homelessness are very sad situations that affect many South Africans.
Poverty is when a person doesn’t have money for proper food, for clothes to keep them covered and for a warm and safe place to stay.
When a person does not have a place to live, that person is homeless.
You might have seen a child or adult that is homeless, or you might know someone at school whose family can’t afford to feed and clothe them properly. Lots of us want to help those in need, but don’t know how. Here are some tips and ideas:
- most importantly, DON’T give money – that can make the problem worse, especially for street children
- rather give food, clothing or other things, that the person can use immediately
- toiletries
- if you have a friend at school whose family is living in poverty, help them to call Childline 116
- volunteer
- you can organise a collection at your school (food, clothing, toiletries), and donate to one of the organisations that helps people living in poverty
- you can help out at a soup kitchen in your community
- come up with your own creative ideas!
There are lots of places that offer help to those in need.
- Schools for street children
New Nation School
http://www.unitedsisterhood.org.za/index.php/news-events/71-new-nation-school - Skills Development Centres for adults
Thembalethu – Africa Skills Training College South Africa
http://africaskills.co.za - Feeding schemes
- Nutritional Feeding – JAM South Africa
http://jamsa.co.za - African Children’s Feeding Scheme: Feeding hungry children
www.acfs.org.za/ - FeedSA
www.feedsa.co.za/ - Feeding Scheme – Gift of the Givers Foundation
https://www.giftofthegivers.org - A C F S Community Nutritional Education & Feeding (Mayfair, Johannesburg, Gauteng)
https://www.sayellow.com/@2?wr=10&Cli_ReferenceNumber=692402
- Nutritional Feeding – JAM South Africa
- Food Parcels
Department of Social Development - Drop in centres, shelters and places of safety
- Bethany Shelter
Corner Millbourn Road and Viljoen Street, Bertrams, Johannesburg, Gauteng
For abused women. No Fee. - Bienvenu Shelter for Women and Children
36 Terrace Road, Bertrams, Johannesburg - Cathedral of Christ the King Soup Kitchen
Saratoga Avenue Joubert Park, Johannesburg, Gauteng - Ekhaya Overnight Shelter
Corner Quartz and Kotze Streets, Hillbrow, Johannesburg, Gauteng
Men and women but no children. - Freda Hartley Shelter for Women
97 Regent Street Yeoville, Johannesburg, Gauteng
For women only.
No Fee - Johannesburg Department of Social Development – 011 374 1600
- Bethany Shelter
- Places of Refuge
- Diagonal Street La Rochelle, Johannesburg, Gauteng
For men and women - Roman Catholic Cathedral Soup Kitchen
Corner Bosman and Skinner Streets, Pretoria, Gauteng - Immaculata Mercy Centre
17 Sturdee Avenue Rosebank, Johannesburg
Single men - Salvation Army Soup Kitchen
Church Square, Pretoria, Gauteng - Strabane Mercy Centre
98 Kerk Street, Johannesburg, Gauteng
Only men and women over 30 years of age - The House
60 Olivia Road Berea, Johannesburg, Gauteng
For girls between 12 and 18 years only - Trinity Congregation Church Soup Kitchen
Corner Muller and Bedford Streets Yeoville, Johannesburg, Gauteng - Usindiso Sanctuary
80 Albert Street Marshalltown, Johannesburg, Gauteng
For abused women – especially those with children
Fee: R60 per month - The Rosebank Shelter, Christ Church Christian Care Centre, The Nkosi Neighbourhood Foundation, Headway and Baragwanath hospital.
http://rotaryjoburgnewdawn.blogspot.com/
- Diagonal Street La Rochelle, Johannesburg, Gauteng
- East Rand Shelters
- Kids Haven 011 421 4222
- Kempton Park All Stars 011 975 6899
- B.J Voster 011 907 3004/5
- Don Matera 011 453 0884/7803/4/5
- Mary Moodley Place of Safety 011 421 5675
- Gugulethu Child and Youth Care Centre 011 917 9574
- Department of Social Development 011 820 0447
- Free Early Childhood Development Centres
- Afrika Tikkun – Developing young people from cradle to career
https://afrikatikkun.org/ - Wings of Life – Early Childhood Development Centres
Alexander 087 1502079
Diepsloot 087 1502249
Orange Farm 087 150 2311
Inner City Johannesburg – Uthando 087 150 2313
- Afrika Tikkun – Developing young people from cradle to career
- Shelters
- Amcare
Alberton, Johannesburg
cell: 079 500 8011
tel: 011 – 869 5856
fax: 011 – 869 5639
email: marihet@amcare.org.za - Are Ageng
Bekkersdal
cell: 072 700 6988
emergency: 071 930 9734
tel: 011 – 692 1940/1945
fax: 011 – 755 1010
e-mail: kunenenoma@telkomsa.net - Bella Maria
Vanderbijlpark
cell: 082 401 2296 / 083 366 7703
tel: 016 – 428 1740
fax: 016 – 428 1741
crisis 24hrs: 016 – 428 1640
e-mail: colleen@lifelinevaal.co.za - Beth Shan
Pretoria west
cell: 076 683 7821
tel: 012 – 379 6671 - Ikaya Lethemba
Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Department of Community Safety
cell: 083 286 7948
tel: 011 – 242 3000
fax: 011 – 242 3017
e-mail: nomsa.ramathibela@gauteng.gov.za - Leratong Place of Love
Springs
cell: 072 106 4983
tel: 011 – 363 1368/9
fax: 011 363 1368/9
e-mail: cewestley@mweb.co.za - Mali Martins
Bronkhorstspruit
Tel: 013 935 8032
Fax: 013 935 8031
Email: malimartin@penta-net.co.za - Polokego
Krugersdorp
cell: 073 000 7369, 082 967 0383
tel: 011 – 665 1725
fax: 011 – 665 3002
e-mail: polokego-a@hotmail.com - Potters House
Pretoria Central
Cell: 082 978 902
tel: 012 – 320 2123
fax: 086 – 6799239
e-mail: vestie@pcm.org.za - POWA
Vosloorus
cell: 081 270 5005 / 083 327 3695
tel: 011 901 0292
fax: 011 901 0292
e-mail: vosloorus@powa.co.za - POWA
Florida
cell: 72 171 4952
tel: 011 472 6631
fax: 011 472 6631
e-mail: vosloorus@powa.co.za jane@powa.co.za florida@powa.co.za - Riet Family Guidance Centre
Randfontein, Johannesburg
cell: 083 400 1630
tel: 011 – 693 3344
fax: 011 – 693 3344
e-mail: rietchild@telkomsa.net - Theodora Ndaba Victim Support Centre
Daveyton
cell: 082 6465917
tel: 011 – 426 4776
fax: 011 – 424 0396
e-mail: victimsupp@polka.co.za - Usindiso Ministries
Johannesburg
cell: 082 902 4611
tel: 011 – 334 1143
fax: 011 – 334 1206
e-mail: usindisomin@wirelessza.co.za - Women Against Women Abuse
Toekomsrus Randfontein
cell: 083 948 0725
tel: 011 693 4504
e-mail: info@wawagreendoor.co.za
- Amcare