Making rooms useful
While the South African government has been generous in providing money to build structures for educational and medical groups, those groups – including many small-scale NGOs – are expected to provide all the necessary equipment for their work. Groups in more prosperous areas can run successful fund-raising campaigns and have state-of-the-art facilities but Crossroads’ partners observed that those in poorer areas often lacked the most basic necessities.
The goods we sent were distributed among a number of organisations that had shown themselves trustworthy in delivering childcare, rehabilitation and training services in a large slum community.
“The donated items are things the organisations would not have been able to purchase” NGO director
Above: (BEFORE) The nap room in this daycare and feeding centre for preschool children had previously been totally unfurnished.
Above: (AFTER) Crossroads’ partners allocated low beds, mattresses, bedding, floor mats and storage cabinets to this centre. Children are now delighted to go for their afternoon naps! This leads to better family relationships as parents exhausted after a day’s work now collect happy and well-rested children instead of tired and irritable ones.
As well as items such as beds, mattresses, educational toys, wheelchairs, classroom and kitchen equipment, the big hit for the three major beneficiary organisations was office furniture, computers and stationery. Each NGO reported that they were finally able to furnish and set up their office spaces, some after more than ten years operating from their “new” buildings.
Above: Trainees at this centre for rehabilitation of the disabled were delighted to receive physiotherapy equipment, office and classroom furniture and kitchen equipment.
Above: This child at a treatment centre for mentally and physically handicapped children is totally fascinated by the new toy she received from this shipment.
