Non-profit organisations

Non-profit organisations in KZN on track again after July looting

Three non-profit organisations (NPOs) located deep in rural KwaZulu-Natal have been identified to receive assistance from the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) to continue serving their communities, this after being severely impacted by the July-unrest that has left a massive trail of destruction.

SAIPA has donated appliances and food supplies worth R120,000 to the Mgijimi Soup Kitchen in Harding, Women Living for a Cause and the Mpumelelo Community Project, both in Port Shepstone.

SAIPA executive Faith Ngwenya says the management team decided to reach out and support people who were affected by social and political unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng.

Positive Trajectory

The institute approached the Department of Social Development to identify three NPOs who would benefit immediately by a donation in order to get going again. The provincial Department of Social Development said indigent communities, already living below the poverty line, are in desperate need of support as all role-players are resuscitating the delivery of social services and placing the local economy on a positive trajectory.

Ngwenya says the greatest need expressed by the NPOs was to have their own equipment and crockery to be able to serve their communities better. In most instances they had no stoves, freezers, microwaves or any crockery and had been renting or borrowing to get by.

“It has become a major issue just to be able to prepare the food from the groceries that is donated to them,” says Ngwenya. During a handover ceremony attended by Senior management of the Department of Social Development this past weekend, the first of the three beneficiaries, Mgijimi Soup Kitchen, received a fridge, freezer, microwave, stove, pots, plates, cups, kettles and an urn as well as grocery supplies to last for several weeks.

The Beneficiaries

The Mgijimi Soup Kitchen in deep rural Harding on the South Coast, supports the elderly who are left in charge of rearing children, supplies them with regular meals and check on them on a regular basis.

Women Living for a Cause serve the community of Port Shepstone and all surrounding areas. Their aim is to help uplift their communities by assisting and empowering them through development. Their support programmes are aimed at members of society with chronic illnesses such as HIV and AIDS, abandoned children and other disadvantaged members of society.

The Mpumelelo Community is dedicated to empowering and providing for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Ngwenya notes that many of the organisations are entirely dependent on sponsorships. These sponsorships were lost after the destruction of commercial and social infrastructure in the province.

Sustainable Service

“It was so heart-warming to hear from the recipients of the SAIPA donations – many who were in tears – said that they now had something tangible that was theirs. This will ensure the sustainability of their efforts to care for their communities.”

Ngwenya says although the donation was a once-off, SAIPA remains committed to assist the province who is still recovering from the looting and destruction in the second half of July.