WATCH: Greyville centre calls for volunteers to pitch in on Mandela Day
With a myriad of tasks on the to-do list, there are plenty of places to pitch in.
AS Mandela Day draws near, staff at the Bellhaven Harm Reduction Centre are looking for volunteers to join in on a rejuvenation project. With a myriad of tasks on the to-do list, there are plenty of places to pitch in.
“We want to make it a lively event,” said Professor Monique Marks from the Urban Features Centre at Durban University of Technology, which is involved in a methadone treatment programme at Bellhaven Harm Reduction Centre.
“This is also an opportunity for the community to interact with our clients and understand drug use a lot better through conversations without clients. Interacting with the community helps to humanise our clients and give them back their dignity,” said Marks.
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Marks added that they are looking for volunteers to paint sections of the centre in need of touch-ups, plant flowers to brighten the space up, or plant vegetables and herbs in the centre’s vegetable garden which is used to provide meals to centre clients. Adding to this list, Marks is looking for volunteers to assist in cleaning the centre, organising the centre’s storeroom and removing rubble from the premises. The centre is also calling on any artists or those with a knack for creativity to help them transform an abandoned taxi in their yard into something useful. For vendors interested in joining the mini market, food and second-hand clothing would be ideal items to sell.
“It would be great if volunteers who are going to be painting could bring their own paint – even if it’s a small amount to cover small areas. A 5-litre paint can would be enough to paint our kitchen, for example,” said Marks.
Humble beginnings, grand plans
The Bellhaven Harm Reduction Centre has been running in its current premises since July 2020. The drug withdrawal programme was launched at Moses Mabhida Stadium, where members of the homeless community were sheltered as the Covid-19 pandemic broke out.
ALSO READ: Fighting stigmas: drug use and healthcare
“We recently used drywall to create a doctor’s room for our GP to use. We would like to section off another area to act as our library drop-in space,” said Marks.
“Staff could also use the space for their lunch breaks. At the moment, we don’t have a space to use,” added nurse Carla-Louise Horwood.
The centre is requesting donations of cushions and bookshelves to aid in creating this space. For more information, contact Carla-Louise Horwood on 067 281 9517.
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