Sparing a few Rands for underprivileged children can go a long way in changing their lives, according to KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza, who recently celebrated her birthday with the children and parents housed at a temporary shelter in Mariannridge Community Hall.
Children from different temporary shelters received toys and enjoyed lunch with MEC Khoza who was accompanied by top management and social workers from the Department of Social Development. The MEC said it was imperative for people to share the little they had with less fortunate members of society and returned to the shelter following her promise at the beginning of the month to return to donate toys to children.
“When we visited this shelter with Minister Lindiwe Zulu we identified that the children had no toys and we made a commitment to return soon. We wanted to bring hope to these children who lost their homes during the devastating floods,” she said.
MEC Khoza said that helping someone in need by just sharing a portion of food can go a long way for people in shelters to understand that we are with them.
“It was gratifying to see the response of children when we shared little gifts of toys with them. Caring for children is a priority to us and we should not make them feel the pain of not being in their homes. Our government is working very hard to ensure that all people in the shelters get decent homes to restore their dignity following the devastating floods,” she said.
MEC Khoza said many of the children and parents who lost their homes still suffer in the aftermath. “We are happy that, although people are still waiting to be moved to better places, we have not experienced challenges of child and women abuse in shelters. Less fortunate children in these shelters may have opportunities to rewrite the scripts of their lives.
“However, there must never be a perception that as a government we have forgotten about them. We must work harder to ensure that they have access to services while they are housed here and we fast-track the process of relocation,” she said. MEC Khoza lauded members of society and social workers who remained supportive to those affected by the floods.
