Winter in Cape Town is a time in which poverty and homelessness become heightened social issues, because of the extremely harsh weather conditions. At the same time, the annual Mandela Day initiative coincides, taking place this 18 July, helping to bring hope and support to vulnerable communities.
Indigent people in South Africa are an inherent part of the cityscape, with hundreds of thousands of people homeless and living on the streets.
It is well-known that cash handouts are not a good solution for supporting people living on the streets – as these often serve to fuel the problem by funding addiction and other negative or self-perpetuating behaviour.
However, most of us would like to help in some way to combat poverty and inequality. For this reason, it’s important to work with known NGOs, nonprofits or charities, who have built social infrastructures and relationships that have longevity.
Mould, Empower, Serve: how City Improvement Districts are working with MES
MES Cape Town is a key partner in the mission to sustainably rehome the homeless across various City Improvement Districts. Their extensive network of outreach and social relief programs provides the vital reach and resources our CID needs. Additionally, their responsive help desk is always available to assist with the immediate and short-term needs of the homeless and unemployed community.
We work closely with MES to identify individuals for casual labour on specific projects. Their team actively scouts promising candidates, placing them with us each week on a probationary basis as one of our on-the-ground workers, fondly known as our “Green Ants”. For those who show dedication, we offer pathways for them to become supervisors and advance their training, making them valuable members of our workforce in a way that allows us to support their growth.
To ensure the funds generated through our partnership are used effectively, we pay stipends directly to MES, which helps cover their living expenses sustainably throughout their stay.
Winter Hope 2024
MES is running a WinterHope campaign until the end of July, in a mission to spread hope and warmth this winter, by gathering essential items such as warm clothing, blankets, and nourishing food supplies.
Visit MES @mouldempowerserve on Facebook, or @mesorgsa on Instagram, to see causes near you to support this winter.
Watch their interview with eNCA below.
Make Every Day a Mandela Day
Once known for its slogan “67 Minutes of Service for Mandela Day”, in 2011 the Nelson Mandela Foundation introduced “Make Every Day A Mandela Day”. Instead of short-lived charity work, the initiative hopes to see long-term, collaborative initiatives in honour of Madiba’s legacy.
Our work with MES honours this approach – building a long-term relationship with this organisation in a way that is sustainable and has real, measurable outcomes.
MES has a host of activities happening this Mandela Day and throughout the year. Visit their website to see how you can get involved further, or contact cptfundraising@mes.org.za.
As the Mandela Foundation has said:
“…after more than a decade of Nelson Mandela Day, we have learnt that even short-term interventions such as street cleanups and school painting have long-lasting impact for the community. It brings different sectors of society together in ways they may never have gotten together. It shows us the reality of this country and drives discourse and agendas for social justice.”
This year, the slogan for Nelson Mandela International Day is a return to Madiba’s words … “It is still in your hands to combat poverty and inequity.”
Give back responsibly
Whether you are donating to a legitimate NGO or NPO or volunteering your time, it is such a worthwhile cause that not only makes our district a safer space but provides our homeless residents with the chance to regain a sense of pride, community and dignity.
Looking for more tips on how to give responsibly? You can read more here.