​Last week Friday, 21 October 2022, the Gauteng Department of Social Development joined over hundred (100) homeless persons at Manger Care Centre in Benoni, Ekurhuleni in commemoration of World Homeless Day.
Observed under the theme, 'Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind', the event was organised to celebrate the strides the Gauteng Department of Social Development has made in bettering the lives of homeless people in the province.
World Homeless Day is observed internationally in October and draws attention to the needs of people who experience homelessness.
According to the International World Homeless Day Organisation, the day calls on communities to make a difference and get all hands-on deck with small deeds to make a difference.
The Department has partnered with Manger Care Centre (a shelter for homeless people at Brentwood in Benoni) since July 2021, and over five hundred homeless people have been given a new lease in life and their lives restored.
The centre provides shelter, skills development in clothing and textile, carpentry and upholstery, bakery, and agricultural training to ensure that beneficiaries become self-reliant after exiting the shelter.
Speaking to beneficiaries, Chairperson of Ekurhuleni Homeless Forum, Francus Palm, said it was important to celebrate the successes and strides of those who are previously homeless.
"Homelessness is a state of mind, and to overcome it, one needs to change their mindset," said Palm, who worked with homeless persons for over seven years.
A beneficiary, Bowen Bolston, stated that he ended up in the streets after both his parents died of Covid-19, he got depressed and ended up losing his job.
"I started finding comfort in using drugs and I couldn't control my addiction. I did things that I wouldn't do sober minded," said Bolston.
Getting to Manger Care Centre was a blessing in disguise for Bolston, who was assisted to turn his life around.
"I didn't know that places like these existed. When I got here, I was welcomed with warm hands," he said.
Bolston is now ten months in sobriety and is taking part in the agricultural projects at the centre. He has also vowed to devote his life to helping other homeless persons.
The Gauteng Department of Social Development is currently funding 26 homeless shelters in the province and has launched 4 park homes for the homeless across the province, accommodating around 3000 beneficiaries.
The Department continues to link beneficiaries in these park homes with centres of excellence for skills development.