RAs come up with unique funding initiative
Local RAs have taken to generating their own income to further their work in neighbourhoods.
Residents Associations (RA) in the Northside are making a huge impact on local neighbourhoods with various projects that impact positively on the community.
Unfortunately, this does not come cheaply, since projects like ongoing cleanup operations and the securing of electricity infrastructure require funds.
In typical style, local RAs, rather than seeing this as an obstacle, decided to make a plan to generate funds to supplement the fees they receive from residents to further their important work.
“Over the past year, we’ve been cleaning open areas and cutting down invasive species,” says Willowbrook, Ruimsig, Amorosa, and Poortview (WRAP) RA chairperson Martin van der Westhuizen.
“This left us with a large amount of wood, consisting mostly of Black Wattle, which is an excellent firewood. So, we put our heads together and decided to start selling wood to supplement the income of the RAs to further extend our activities.”
The cutting down of invasive tree species, which is done as part of an agreement between the RAs and Johannesburg City Parks and Zoos, has resulted in huge piles of wood, which is now being sold to further fund the activities of the RAs.
The RAs are in the process of establishing a wood yard where residents can purchase their firewood.
“We have other initiatives in the pipeline as well,” says Van der Westhuizen. “This includes skills development in furniture and décor-making.
“The work we do is important and having to stop while we try and secure more funds causes disruptions that our neighbourhoods can’t afford.”
“To this end, the RAs have even come up with an App through which residents can order their wood.
“We are in the process of procuring materials with which to fence off the wood yard,” says Van der Westhuizen. “We have a lot of wood that is already dry, and even more that is currently drying.
“Why pay exorbitant amounts for firewood when you can buy it from your RAs and support a good cause in the process?”
If you are interested in ordering firewood from the RAs, visit their app at https://take.app/wrapresidentsassociation.
