As Mandela Month comes to an end, organisations working on the ground in some of Gauteng's most vulnerable communities are urging South Africans not to let the spirit of giving end with July, saying children living with violence and trauma need support every day of the year.
That message took centre stage on Wednesday, July 29, when The Star partnered with the Hope SA Foundation to donate sanitary hygiene packs to 95 children at the Slovo Centre of Excellence in Westbury, an early childhood development centre that provides after-school care, educational support and daily meals to children from the surrounding community.
While the donation formed part of Mandela Month, community leaders said the greatest challenges facing children in Westbury cannot be addressed through one-day initiatives alone.
The Together Action Group (TAG), which has been serving Westbury and surrounding communities for 25 years, says violence and the emotional toll it takes on children have become some of the biggest challenges facing families in the area.
Operational manager Roda van Bieren said the organisation continues to provide homework support, meals and developmental programmes for about 80 to 90 children each day, but many arrive carrying the emotional burden of the violence unfolding around them.
