Love in Action (Lia) – a new East London non-profit organisation – has come up with a new and innovative programme to clean dirty suburbs while also providing the unemployed with jobs, but “not for money”.
Lia is based in Gonubie and has become a beacon of hope for scores of unemployed men and women who sit idle along the Main Road hoping someone will give them a job for the day.
Once a week, the organisation offers the unemployed, mostly from Mzamomhle township, work cleaning the Black Rock area, Gonubie Point and roads in the area.
In exchange, they are given a cooked meal, food parcels and second-hand clothes.
The programme is sponsored by five different churches in Gonubie.
Speaking to the Saturday Dispatch yesterday, ministry coordinator Tracey de Beer said although the programme was in its second week, more unemployed people had offered to help clean in exchange for food and clothing.
“When we started, we served 33 men, but this week we served 49 men and women.
“They start around 11am on a Wednesday and finish around 3pm. They come back for a full lunch and get the opportunity to choose the clothes they want to take home for themselves, their children or other family members.
“The clothes are still of good quality. We asked for donations and people responded well.”
Not only do the beneficiaries take home clothes, but they also get food parcels with paraffin, sugar, rice and mealie meal among other items.
Zanele Zuma from Ignite Church said the long-term goal was to have a database of the job seekers and have their strengths noted and individuals assisted to get paying jobs.
“On Wednesday, we collected about 200 black bags filled with trash.
“Next up we want to paint the railing in front of the Gonubie Hotel but we need to find donations for the paint first.”
lThose interested in assisting can contact De Beer on 079-492-9852 or .
Clean-up to put food on tables
Lia is based in Gonubie and has become a beacon of hope for scores of unemployed men and women who sit idle along the Main Road hoping someone will give them a job for the day.
Once a week, the organisation offers the unemployed, mostly from Mzamomhle township, work cleaning the Black Rock area, Gonubie Point and roads in the area.
In exchange, they are given a cooked meal, food parcels and second-hand clothes.
The programme is sponsored by five different churches in Gonubie.
Speaking to the Saturday Dispatch yesterday, ministry coordinator Tracey de Beer said although the programme was in its second week, more unemployed people had offered to help clean in exchange for food and clothing.
“When we started, we served 33 men, but this week we served 49 men and women.
“They start around 11am on a Wednesday and finish around 3pm. They come back for a full lunch and get the opportunity to choose the clothes they want to take home for themselves, their children or other family members.
“The clothes are still of good quality. We asked for donations and people responded well.”
Not only do the beneficiaries take home clothes, but they also get food parcels with paraffin, sugar, rice and mealie meal among other items.
Zanele Zuma from Ignite Church said the long-term goal was to have a database of the job seekers and have their strengths noted and individuals assisted to get paying jobs.
“On Wednesday, we collected about 200 black bags filled with trash.
“Next up we want to paint the railing in front of the Gonubie Hotel but we need to find donations for the paint first.”
lThose interested in assisting can contact De Beer on 079-492-9852 or .
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