CPF Youth reach out to children in Bellair informal settlements

MEMBERS of the Bellair CPF Youth Crime Prevention Desk were out on a brisk June morning recently to hand out clothing, food and toys to the young people in some of the informal settlements in the greater Queensburgh area.

Youth Crime Prevention

“The Youth Crime Prevention Desk embarked on a Winter Warmth Drive this year and received really good support from the community,” said Alandra Naidoo, the chair of the youth desk.

“We as the YCPD distributed clothing items, winter accessories and some toys on Saturday, 13 June.”

The group of young women volunteers who had sorted the donations into sizes had an efficient system in place to ensure that every child living in the informal settlements received something.

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Informal settlements

The convoy of vehicles, including one with Meals on Wheels branding which carried all the goodies to be handed out, and others from security companies, police, and members of the Bellair CPF, began the day at Grace Place, a settlement off Wakesleigh Road where the group has established a good relationship with residents and especially the children who live in it.

Blankets, scarves, beanies and clothing were handed out to the children and there were also sweet buns and lollipops.

Mothers and children tried on donated shoes and jackets until they found the one that fitted.

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A mother and some children from the nearby M7 informal settlement also arrived having previously been invited so as not to miss out.After Grace Place, the group moved to another informal settlement in Freemantle Road, then on to Radford Gardens and ended the day at Coedmore settlement, which they were able to include despite not initially planning to visit because of the volume of donations they had collected.

Bellair CPF

“Third is the first outreach that we are doing with the rest of the youth desk members being present,” explained Naidoo who has been visiting the settlement regularly with members of the Bellair CPF, specifically reaching out to the young children living there.

“We feel that part of our job as the Youth Crime Prevention Desk is to help build relationships between all the neighbours in the area to help them realise they are not alone,” she explained.

As the country moved towards a gradual easing of the lockdown regulations which have been in place since the end of March to try to halt the spread of Covid-19 in communities, many people are finding it harder than ever before to earn in order to support their families as many people have lost, or might lose their jobs due to the resulting economic downturn which is being experienced globally.

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No school

The first two grades of school children had returned to school the week before the visit by the group, but none of the children who were at the collections points had yet returned to school.

Some of the children at the settlements said they were excited but also quite nervous about going back to school after such an extended lockdown.

Asked if they had been able to keep up with any school work, all said they had no resources to do so.

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