Cape Town - Volunteers will brave the cold this weekend to experience the challenges faced by homeless people, as Independent Media and U-Turn Homeless Ministries have joined up to raise R1 million to support the plight of the destitute.
To be part of “A Night on the Streets” campaign, the partnership is calling on all South Africans to donate, and also spend May 18 either sleeping outside on the streets, in their gardens or on balconies in solidarity with the homeless.
The campaign is aimed at understanding the depth of homeless, and that homelessness is not usually a matter of choice.
Chief communications officer at U-turn Homeless Ministries, Valeria Govender, said: “Homelessness is a growing scourge. By experiencing even a fraction of what homeless individuals endure every night, we hope to inspire empathy, understanding, and action among participants and the public. During the night on the cold pavement with just the bare minimum, participants will gain first-hand experience of the challenges faced by those living on the streets, including exposure to the elements, discomfort, and vulnerability.”
Govender encouraged the public, businesses, work teams, churches and schools to collect blankets and canned food to make difference as winter approaches. A special collection point will be set-up at BMW Constantia, 215 Main Road, Claremont.
Regional editor of Independent Media’s Cape publications, Taariq Halim, said homelessness had become so commonplace that people had almost become blind to it.
“But as winter approaches and more people find themselves in these circumstances, something must be done to help them and reopen our eyes to the humanness of the problem around us.”
He said U-turn and Independent Media believed “we can all do something, no matter how small, because many small things can grow into something meaningful”.
Twenty volunteers will brave the cold tomorrow (Saturday) on Claremont Main Road at 6pm until Sunday 6am, to experience the challenges homeless people face daily. To be part of the experience virtually, purchase a ticket at R60 via Quicket.
Visit www.homeless.org.za/nightout or contact Valerie Govender on valerie. govender@homeless.org.za for more information.
venecia.valentine@inl.co.za
Cape Argus