The organisers of a recent initiative are lending a helping hand to a local homeless shelter through a food and bedding drive wherein Stellenbosch University (SU) students could participate.
SU’s United Nations Association of South Africa (UNASA) society’s drive took place at SU’s Rooiplein on 12 May and encouraged students to donate bedding items and non-perishable food items, which will be donated to the Stellenbosch Night Shelter.
This is according to Chelsea Mujuru, the executive of the SU UNASA human rights portfolio.
Initiatives like Stellenbosch University’s United Nations Association of South Africa’s (UNASA) most recent drive, are important for helping the homeless community and recognising the right to housing, said Chelsea Mujuru, the executive of the UNASA human rights portfolio. “Just because you are homeless does not mean you should not be treated to these basic human rights,” said Mujuru. UNASA held a bedding and food drive on 12 May whereby they aimed to help the homeless in Stellenbosch. PHOTO: Takudzwa Pongweni
Recognising the right to housing
“If you are in Stellenbosch or Cape Town, you would know that the right to housing is not recognised,” claimed Mujuru. “[SU UNASA] feels like the government should take more of a paternalistic role in ensuring that the housing systems that are there […] have effective bedding and good food for the people.”
Initiatives like this drive are important for helping the homeless community, said Hanna Coppola, a first-year BA international relations student at SU and member of UNASA, who attended the drive.
“I think that bringing awareness to the students will possibly give them a new perspective about the homeless and donations will go a long way, because they will go from our collection into the hands of the people who need it most,” stated Coppola.
Bedding and food drives are beneficial to the homeless community, said Hanna Coppola, a member of the United Nations Association of South Africa (UNASA) and a first-year BA international relations student at Stellenbosch University (SU), in reference to the recent bedding and food drive held by the SU chapter of UNASA. “[UNASA] had many ideas before the idea of the drive but we ended up settling on tangible donations rather than monetary ones,” said Coppola. PHOTO: Takudzwa Pongweni
Filling the gap
“We received six pillows, two pillow cases, three blankets, one sheet, a box of 20 noodles and two cans of beans,” said Mujuru. The SU UNASA society aims to pick shelters in close proximity, because it enables them to provide donations more frequently, explained Mujuru. “We do not want to donate and never see the shelter again, so we pick shelters that we know we would be able to keep going to every other week,” she stated.
Drives like these are incredibly helpful, according to Denise Paulse, the manager of the Stellenbosch Night Shelter. “Shelters get funds from donations and a little subsidy from the government but that does not give you enough money and you cannot use that money to go and buy clothes and such,” explained Paulse.
“Food, blankets and clothes – those kinds of things are always very helpful. It fills the gaps, as we cannot buy things from money that is being used for the operational costs of the shelter, which is of the same importance,” said Paulse.
Denise Paulse, Stellenbosch Night Shelter manager, expressed her gratitude to the Stellenbosch University (SU) students and the SU chapter of the United Nations Association of South Africa (UNASA), who have frequently donated to the shelter. SU UNASA recently held a bedding and food drive, where all donations were sent to the shelter. Pictured above are Haylene Adams, Jenelee Opperman, and Melrisha Hendrikse, social auxiliary workers at the shelter. PHOTO: Takudzwa Pongweni
Alternative ways to give back
The importance of existing coupon systems could also not be understated, said Paulse.
She mentioned the ‘Give Responsibly’ coupon system, which can be given to homeless individuals. These coupons can be used to receive a plate of food or a blanket, or to spend a night at the shelter, explained Paulse. “The heartflow coupon is a ticket system that we want every student to actually buy […] and keep in their purse,” said Paulse.
Denise Paulse, the manager of the Stellenbosch Night Shelter explained the importance of the ‘Give Responsibily’ coupon system, which can be given to homeless individuals. The coupons can be used to receive a plate of food or a blanket, or to spend a night at the shelter, explained Paulse. GRAPHIC: Takudzwa Pongweni