Department of Social Development galvanizes NPO sector

As part of the build-up programme towards the provincial NPO Summit in July, the Department of Social and Development hosted the regional NPO summit to mend relations with the sector on June 23 at the Grace Bible Church in Pimville.

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The summit was aimed at providing NPOs with a platform to debate and exchange ideas on their complex social issues. It was also hosted to be able to deal effectively with social sector challenges to gain a competitive edge in the provincial market.

Department’s chief director, Bongani Ngomane said, “The intention of this summit is to prepare regions to have an organised voice when they go to the Premier’s summit. This is to also ensure that we are the listening government that implements the wishes of the people.”

NPOs have become the backbone of the black society in terms of fighting social ills and reaching where government is unable to reach.

Cllr of Klipspruit and Pimville, Kwapeng Cambridge said, “We feel that NPOs are very critical in our society more over in black communities where the government does not even reach.”

These non-profit entities play a major role in helping people by offering donations in the form of food, clothes and temporary shelter in case of disasters. They are able to do this from the donations they get from individuals, companies, and big organizations.

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“Today we are looking for new ways to keep the homes going because life is getting more expensive by day.

“We are hoping to find new ways of getting donors because people get tired of donating,” said Vanessa Hale of Yenzani Johannesburg Children’s Home.

Non-profit organisations are the pillar of social development, communities cannot survive without them. Communities should also support and value the NPOs within their spaces.