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GSSC Gives to the Needy

The sixteen days of activism for non-violence against women and children saw a vast range of activities taking place within the GSSC and the rest of the world. This was to commemorate the struggle of women and children in South Africa against abuse. About 75 GSSC staff members offered their time and energy on the 8 th of December 2006 to lend a helping hand and show compassion towards destitute women and children at the Riet Family Guidance Centre in Randfontein. The dedication and determination by this group of employees in making a difference in other people's lives was overwhelming.

The aim of this initiative was to clean the garden, plant vegetables and paint the buildings of the Centre. Even though staff were working very hard, everyone enjoyed themselves especially the painting part. The Gauteng Department of Housing made the atmosphere even more interesting by providing music that workers used as a background companion.

The Riet Family Guidance centre accommodates over forty homeless women, children as well as men. According to the founder, Mr. Ivan Koritje, starting from next year all men will be phased out to accommodate orphans as well as abused women and children. When the centre was established in 1990 the plan was to accommodate a much bigger number of residents, mostly women and children but because there were no enough funds to meet the needs of all the women and children who were living there, some of them had to leave because of hunger.

A mother of a teenage girl and an eighteen months old baby has been living there since early last year. "Even though life may not be easy I feel blessed to have found a safe and secure home for my children, this is much better compared to where we are coming from. With the help of institutions like GSSC, I'm hopeful that my children will have a brighter future, especially the eldest one who will be doing matric next year", said the woman.

At the end of the day, GSSC donated clothes, toys and lots of food to children and women living at the Centre. It really touched everyone's heart to see the joy and gratitude in the residences' eyes when they received their packages and a small boy was already holding on-tight to his new teddy bear.

Everyone was exhausted with paint stains all over their work suits but also glad to have completed such a great job. GSSC employees left residents of the Riet Family Guidance Centre with another reason to look forward to the future with hope. Even though other employees couldn't become part of the team, they at least donated clothes to the children. It is without doubt that the spirit of ubuntu exists within the GSSC.

 

 

Hon. MEC, Mandla Gladstone Nkomfe

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