A building that was once a community recreational hall in Windsor West has now been converted into a temporary shelter for displaced people.
Although the shelter does not provide overnight accommodation, they do provide meals and shower facilities for use.
According to Ward 98 councillor Beverly Weweje, the building was identified by the Department of Social Development because of the great need for homeless shelters and a place for people on the streets to go to.
“The social development team will use the facility and still offer services for homeless people, “said Weweje. “They will register them into a database and start counselling, for example if an addict seeks help, the team will start the process and refer them to a rehabilitation centre for treatment.”
Other services the facility will offer include reuniting the homeless with their families by using information provided to try and track them down. And for a small fee, assistance with applying for identity documents will be available as well as other skills upliftment programmes.
“Some of the homeless have challenges finding work because they don’t have identity documents, and social workers provide assistance in this area. The facility also has upliftment programmes such as a gardening as well as recreation activities such as the chess centre,” said Weweje.
However, there is still a need for more upliftment programmes and the councillor is appealing to community businesses to assist in this area and provide practical skills training for the displaced people at the shelter. This is to allow the men to learn financial skills so they will be able to provide for themselves instead of receiving handouts.
“The people on the street live from hand to mouth but the social workers want to change that and teach financial skills and how to maximise what they have and build themselves and expand,” said Weweje.
“We are hoping organisations in the community can help us provide such skills that these people can use and benefit the world. The social workers are looking for partners who can come to the centre and if the people show a willingness to change, they can find partners and be placed in internships.”
READ: Windsor West shelter set to open soon
In the Windsor community, the social workers from the shelter try and assist the displaced people who live in dilapidated and abandoned buildings, get a new lease on life. Those who are willing are taken to rehab centres where they are assisted in kicking their drug habits.
“Because often when you sleep on the street, you somehow lose your value as a person and one of the initiatives the department has is to get a non-profit organisation (NPO), faith-based organisation or company to donate clothes and food to the shelter.
Some of the NPOs would come to the shelter and, for example, do a hotel environment where the homeless are served as guests and give them their dignity back,” said Weweje.
The shelter is situated on 23 Knights Street in Windsor West. For more information, contact Lindiwe Tshabalala on 078 253 1524.
