Child Welfare South Africa Roodepoort desperately needs help

The Roodepoort branch of Child Welfare South Africa (CWSA) needs the community’s help. The non-profit organisation (NPO) covers more than 25 areas, assisting children who are victims of neglect, abuse, and abandonment.

Their caseload currently consists of 1 800 children who have been abandoned or removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect. As an NPO, Child Welfare relies heavily on community donations to keep its doors open, and contrary to popular opinion, it is the small donations that can help a lot.

“People assume that they need to give a huge amount of money to make a difference, but this isn’t true; anything and everything helps,” said Stanley Nqhome, head of fundraising for CWSA Roodepoort.

Some of the small things the organisation needs, that will be of immense help, are:

· Stationery (paper, ink, pens) – there is a huge amount of paperwork for each case, and paper is something the organisation really needs.

· Food – to make up food packages for the foster families and to feed the children at the branch that day, or who are waiting to go to court.

· Donations – the donations will assist in buying food for the children with special dietary requirements and help pay for services that the organisation requires.

CWSA Roodepoort would also like to assure the community that they are more than willing to provide complete transparency with where the donations go; receipts can be given and donors can be kept up to date on when their donations are used, and what for.

The main priority for this organisation, at the moment, is assistance with transport. This is a larger ask than the stationery, but they are not asking for a brand new car.

There is a common misconception that the Roodepoort branch only works in Roodepoort; however, while the organisation is based here, it assists children throughout Johannesburg. Unfortunately, they are finding it more and more difficult to help the children in the community without transport.

The organisation only has one car (which is currently unusable) with which to help the children who need them. The car recently went in for repairs which they are unable to pay for, so they struggle to reach the children they are called out to help, and to get to court cases they are set to appear in. The staff members of this organisation are left to walk, or use public transport to do their jobs.

“We are not asking for a new car, any donation will help us save for one, and what may seem like an old ‘skorokoro’ (a piece of scrap) to everyone else, we will treat as a brand new car,” said the staff members at the organisation.

CWSA Roodepoort is thus urging the community to donate in any way they can. The end of the year is fast approaching; it is the busiest time for Child Welfare, and they need help to be able to help the children. Pledge forms are available, either for a once-off payment or a monthly debit order of any amount. The organisation is section 18A approved, meaning that they can issue certificates allowing businesses to claim tax returns on their donations.

For more information on the organisation or on how to donate, contact Stanley Nqhome at stanley.cwsaroodepoort@gmail.com or call 011 271 8700.

You can also visit their website https://www.childwelfaresaroodepoort.org.za to see their wishlist, donate and to find out more.