Making a difference in the community with the help of the destitute

WRAP Residents Association is making a difference in the lives of their community members along with the community itself.

Martin van der Westhuizen, WRAP’s chairperson explained, “The municipal entities are struggling without manpower and a budget. We just want to help to better the community.”

As part of their initiative to clean up the community, members from WRAP visited Doreen Road, where they picked up all the rubbish, cut the trees, and pulled out all the weeds that grew between the tar. He explained the people he employs to do the work are all those in need of financial help. They are homeless or jobless and in need of support. He then asks them to come do some cleanup work and he pays them. He asks the community to contribute by donating funds, which he then in turn uses to pay the workers.

He noted, “This way we help the community and the people who work here also need to eat.”

He continued aside from Doreen Road they cleaned Peter Road the day before and trimmed the trees the day before that to enhance visibility in the area. He added that trimming the trees prevents people with less-than-stellar intentions from hiding behind them.

Van der Westhuizen stated, “Without the community, none of this would have been possible, all the thanks go to them.”

He added that they are planning to continue making a difference in the community and they have extended it to other areas including Honeydew, Wilgeheuwel and Little Falls. He asked the community to please continue contributing so they can return their community to a clean state.

Any person interested can join the residents association WhatsApp group using the link https://chat.whatsapp.com/KtekvqQGpxQDeOUlUbAgrh.

Van der Westhuizen concluded: “This initiative gives us a chance to employ people. We help people who want to work. Further, they are also part of the community and they want to improve it.”