Support needed for proposed Umbilo Business Forum development project
The Umbilo Business Forum is excited about their social responsibility initiative to rejuvenate a dilapidated house in Glenwood that will serve vulnerable youth and community members.
THE Umbilo Business Forum with the assistance of NGO, “We Are Durban,” and support from EThekwini's Imagine Durban have recognised the much needed use of a dilapidated house on Glenwood's Davenport Avenue and the park adjacent to the property for a social development programme uplifting youth and the community.
According to UBF's Usha Stevens, the eThekwini municipality is positive about the UBF’s initiative to uplift and rejuvenate the rapid regression of the area and are considering the Business Forum's proposal which was recently submitted which hopes to provide youth between the ages of 14 to 24 years with fundamental and developmental opportunities with a strong “social skills” component.
“We hope to offer various opportunities including educational support, with after school tutoring and Saturday morning classes, the arts – visual (poster art, street art), written (essays and poetry) and performing (dance, singing, drama and magic), food gardening (hydroponics/tunnel vegetation) for the preparation of simple, nutritious food for school lunch boxes, summer salads and winter soups because nutrition is a critical component of good health. Trained youth will be supported with starter packs and a follow-up programme to pass on their skills to families in the community. We also want to use sports for development, with mini action cricket and soccer, volleyball and time trials road running to stream talented youth into formal/club sport opportunities,” she explained.
The Kathleen Voisey Clinic operating one day per week and staffed by retired medical doctors and nurses have also volunteered to provide a medical service for indigent people in the area at the “house.” Stevens said the UBF will offer a satellite office to Child Welfare, Lifeline, SANCA, and Advice Desk for Abused Women, NICRO to provide intake and referral services as well as a range of group preventive and empowerment programmes for youth.
“Our objective as the UBF is not only tackling crime and grime, but also have a strong consciousness to provide a sense of belonging to the most vulnerable and needy of our society, to correct the ills of apartheid with qualities of understanding, not vengeance, Ubuntu not victimization, and it’s a local initiative with collaboration from the community and the businesses. The UBF remains hopeful and positive with the support from our local municipality and other NGO’s to make this project a success,” Stevens added.
