Let’s Stay Together NPO needs your help
In its eight years of existence, LSTDPO has only received funding once from the National Lotteries Commission (NLC). It also once received three loaves of bread every day from a local shop.
Let’s Stay Together Disabled People’s Organisation (LSTDPO) is currently faced with financial challenges after three unsuccessful years of applying for funding at various institutions.
The Vosloorus-based organisation was initiated in 2013 for people living with disabilities.
The organisation needs help and hopes to turn its situation around. It currently runs in an office with limited space, which also operates as a kitchen.
LSTDPO project manager Job Mdakane referred to their situation as chaotic. He said they want the municipality to build a centre that will be suitable for all disabled people in Vosloorus.
“We need a centre with sports facilities, bedrooms for homeless disabled people, dining halls and a reception area,” said Mdakane.
“Our second need is transport. We have a lot of disabled people who cannot come to the centre mainly because of lack of transport.
“We can’t even access funds from the Department of Social Services because of its requirements. It would tell you that it wants to see the organisation’s members and we must have activities. We currently don’t have programmes because we don’t have funds,” he said.
LSTDPO replaced Disabled People of Vosloorus (DPV) after it was disbanded.
Mdakane said they tried to revive DPV before registering LSTDPO on July 9, 2013, but they were told that the organisation was deregistered in 1996 after it was allegedly discovered that there was mismanagement of funds.
In its eight years of existence, LSTDPO has only received funding once from the National Lotteries Commission. It also once received three loaves of bread every day from a local shop.
“Whenever we come to the centre we don’t have food, we have to dig into our grant funds and ask everyone to contribute to buy food,” said Mdakane.
The organisation then applied for funding at the NLC for three consecutive years without positive results. They also applied at Transnet and the National Gambling Board.
“We applied at the NLC three times and we were told that the funds were depleted and we must apply again.
“Bear in mind that when you apply they want to have an auditor’s report and auditors don’t come cheap. We have to contribute from our own pockets, including for transport to submit those papers in Pretoria,” said Mdakane.
He said it is difficult for a disabled person like him to travel to Pretoria using public transport and this is one of the reasons the organisation needs transport.
When they applied the second time, they included quotations for transport as per request from the NLC but to no success.
“We appealed because we didn’t understand why we were rejected,” he said.
Donations
The organisation pleads to local businesses, big brands and anyone with the means to assist them with funds or donations of food, transport, building space as well as materials and people who can offer their skills to help.
To lend a helping hand to the organisation, contact Mdakane on 076 460 2764 or email at lstdpo.vosloorus@gmail.com
Banking details
Account holder: Let’s Stay Together Disabled Peoples Organisation
Account number: 62484094489
Bank Name: First National Bank
Branch code: 25 33 42
