Pretoria - Life Changing Projects has begun its winter shoe drive to help homeless men in Pretoria.
Project manager, Tebogo Mpufane, said the drive started a week ago, and was inspired by the large number of beneficiaries living in shelters and in other areas without shoes, or wearing flip flops, during winter.
“We have 180-plus men on site, but mostly we meet during outreaches and through stakeholder collaborations. We are now primarily looking to collect sneakers, takkies and warm footwear. Socks will be a bonus donation.”
Mpufane said donors could drop shoes off at the shelter at 18, 3rd Avenue in Heatherdale, Akasia, in Pretoria North from Monday to Friday during office hours. They can also contact Mpufane on 065 275 0681 or email him at [email protected].
He said homelessness and negligence was not only about men.
“Personally, I think the negligence in the homeless space is dished out equally,” Mpufane said.
He said Life Changing Projects was started in October 2013 by Tebogo Sehlwane, a gender-based violence survivor.
“The need for establishing an organisation and programmes that are dedicated to the upliftment of the community, and the betterment of life within the community, started with our first programme, with the assistance of 12 volunteers working towards change and the improvement of daily living in the community.”
Mpufane said the organisation identified the gap and lack of sheltering facilities for homeless people (men, women and children), and skills development in the Tshwane Region.
The organisation has about 60 volunteers who provide various types of support, from programmes to activities, and address a multitude of socio-economic issues.
It focuses primarily on sheltering more than 200 men and providing breakfast, lunch and supper daily.
Mpufane said: “The organisation also assists women and children.”
It addresses social ills in the community, such as substance abuse, and provides skills development programmes to the youth, such as bricklaying, carpentry and plumbing.
Among the long list of programmes under the organisation’s ambit are feeding children during school holidays, after-school programmes, providing guidance and support to the youth to assist with job placement, working towards clean and healthy environments, and engaging young people in recreational and sport activities.
Mpufane said the organisation was solely reliant on donor funds and a development centre where training, skills and empowerment programmes were provided through partnerships with academic institutions.
“The aim is to raise funds more progressively for training and to provide programmes on topics such as small business, financial matters and developing skills,” he said.
Pretoria News