Donors thanked for keeping NPO afloat
The society honoured two board members with appreciation certificates for their dedicated service.
The Actonville Child and Family Welfare Society extended its heartfelt gratitude to its generous donors, whose unwavering support has been instrumental in keeping the organisation afloat during a challenging year marked by funding delays from the Department of Social Development (DSD).
This was revealed during their 35th AGM recently held at the society’s premises in Actonville.
The chairperson of the organisation, Mohamed Sirkhot, said that despite the financial hurdles, the society continued to provide vital services to vulnerable children and families even in difficult times. He excitedly indicated that they managed to replace two of their old vehicles.
The society renders statutory social work and child protection services to children.
Its main office is in Actonville and there are satellite offices in Wattville and Kingsway.
“When will our government realise that NPOs like ours play a pivotal role in our communities? We deal with real people facing real issues. Our services add value to our communities.
“Billions are spent bailing out SOEs, while other billions are lost to corruption at all levels, from the top to the bottom. Millions are also spent on commissions of inquiry with no positive results, while essential departments like education, health and social services suffer.”
Sirkhot said the DSD is not channelling funding where it is needed.
“The department has not taken into account the ever-increasing costs of electricity and fuel for our three vehicles. Our social workers are our driving force, and their caseloads are increasing, but there have been no salary increments for the past few years. The new monthly reporting to DSD has put additional strain and stress on our dedicated social workers.”
Social work services
During the meeting, the society’s chief social worker, Haneefa Chitimbe, said their social workers are overwhelmed with high caseloads, handling more than 100 cases per social worker, which hampers services.
She mentioned that one of the challenges they face is that, in the majority of the households they support, the parents struggle with drug addiction. They refer them for drug rehabilitation.
Chitimbe explained that the Kingsway office is not conducive or suitable for social work services, especially regarding confidentiality. She added that the organisation is still in the process of finding suitable premises.
Financials
The treasurer, Abdul Mayet, presented the financial report and noted that the society had an overall good year, largely due to the various donations they received.
The total comprehensive income for the year, which came from subsidies, banquets, fundraising, donations, grants, and other sources, amounted to R2 594 891, compared to last year’s R2 366 370.
There was a notable increase in donations, rising from R271 176 to R496 980.
Total expenditure also increased slightly, from R2 285 418 to R2 317 453 compared to the previous year.
Before concluding the meeting, the society honoured two board members with appreciation certificates for their dedicated service. Mohamed Sirkhot, who has served the organisation for 45 years, and Abdul Mayet, who has served for 40 years, were awarded long service awards.
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