The Gauteng Department of Social Development has embarked on a public awareness campaign on War on Poverty (WOP). The campaign is aimed at educating the community on the avenues of War on Poverty.
As part of the campaign, West Rand Regional Social Work Supervisor, Mapule Nkwe engaged the community through a community radio, Westside FM on Tuesday. She shared information with listeners on how they can benefit from the department's War on Poverty programme.
Nkwe said, "The challenge most families are faced with is poverty and it was the reason our department came up with the War on Poverty initiative. WOP is the Presidential programme aimed at rescuing households out of poverty. In Gauteng WOP is driven by the Gauteng Department of Social Development, sister departments in partnership with municipalities and Non-Profit-Organizations.
The programme sees government officials criss crossing townships doing a door to door in order to identify needy households they are then linked with a number existing government aimed at assisting poor households".
"We also receive referrals from other government departments as we work with different stakeholders. After profiling we implement our services. We have short-term solutions like food relief and long-term ones whereby family members are linked with skills development centres. When they have skills, they can enter into the job market and start businesses. Our services are for everyone, we do not discriminate when rendering services to our communities" she added
Since the lockdown came into effect, Gauteng Department of Social Development has reached over one million households with food relief. The department will continue to reach out to all who are in need to alleviate poverty.