HUP urges residents to help the homeless stand on their own feet
“Many good Samaritans often donate money directly to the homeless. While this might seem like a good idea, the homeless sometimes, unfortunately, use it to buy drugs.”
While it can be a good thing to help those in need, doing so in the wrong way can cause more harm, a local social worker has warned.
Homeless Upliftment Project (HUP) social worker Thikhathali Mampokoro issued this warning in an exclusive interview with Rekord in Arcadia on Monday.
“Many good Samaritans often donate money directly to the homeless,” Mampokoro said.
“While this might seem like a good idea, the homeless sometimes, unfortunately, use it to buy drugs, which slowly destroy their lives and can even lead to death.
“This happens without the donors understanding that they had contributed to the death of human beings and worse, they continue to do so.”
Sipho Nkosi (not his real name), a homeless youth who is addicted to drugs in Sunnyside, said he raised money to buy drugs by washing cars, working as a car guard and asking money from motorists “to buy food”.
“No one will give you money when you say you are going to buy drugs,” Nkosi said.
Rekord also found out that the failure of motorists and other donors to clearly understand the problem leads them to make wrong decisions. For example, homeless individuals often say they would use the money to buy food but buy drugs instead.
For this reason, HUP makes people aware of the broader challenges associated with homelessness as well as a possible solution to the problem.
“First of all, we need to understand that people become homeless because of various reasons. Some people come from other provinces to look for job opportunities in Gauteng and Pretoria and end up homeless when they do not find jobs,” Mampokoro said.
“With the high unemployment rate in the country, some people have lost their jobs and are unable to continue renting their flats. They are kicked out of their apartments and end up living on the street. Some people left their homes because of a family dispute. Many reasons lead to homelessness.”
Mampokoro said one of the possible solutions to the problem is to donate money to charity organisations, such as HUP, that help homeless people change their lives and become productive and responsible residents again.
“Donations do not need to be in only monetary form, people may donate food and clothes,” he said.
HUP provides transient shelter to the homeless, professional counselling and livelihood support to become self-reliant again.
“We guide and assist our beneficiaries to look for employment.”
The organisation keeps the beneficiaries at the centre for between three to six months, depending on the situation of each individual.
Those who are addicted to drugs and need professional help to quit are transferred to rehabilitation centres.
He said his main message to the residents is that “there is no dustbin for a human being”.
- ALSO READ: Wierdaburg CPF to conduct visibility patrol
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
