South Africa is perhaps one of the most beautiful countries in the world and Cape Town is probably one of her most enchanting cities, surrounded as it is by many mountains (including Table Mountain), as well as the sea. The city of Cape Town is rich in diversity, be it flora, fauna or peoples. It also has a vibrant street life, wonderful restaurants and lovely weather for eight months of the year. Beneath the surface of this beautiful city however, there exists a different world, a world of poverty and deprivation.

Largely owing to the policies of apartheid, a significant proportion of the city’s black and coloured populations, continue to live a life on the margins of society: they dwell on the streets or in informal settlements, without access to water, electricity or sewerage. Adult unemployment is estimated at 40%, whilst youth unemployment is estimated at a staggering 70%. Without a safe net, such as unemployment benefit, those without work have absolutely no income and are therefore entirely reliant upon charitable help for their survival. The ANC government is endeavouring to alleviate poverty but it is faced with a monumental task in endeavouring to meet various demands, including the building of houses, the provision of essential services, the creation of a skills base to enable people to find employment and the challenge of curbing crime.

Added to this, is the problem of HIV/AIDS. South Africa is currently the epicentre of the disease, with the highest numbers of infections in the world. Thus far, 5.5 million people (in a population of about 45 million) are living with the disease, including 240 000 children, younger than the age of 15 years. Women are disproportionately affected, both in terms of infection rates and in carrying the burden of the disease. When parents die, children are often left completely destitute or fall to be cared for by their grandparents, who have to utilise their meagre state pensions (of about GBP50 per month), to care for, feed and educate their grandchildren.

It is within this scenario that the Helderberg Street People’s Centre (HSPC) operates, in an area known as the Helderberg Basin. Here, as in other parts of South Africa, the rich live cheek by jowl with the poor. The HSPC is a non-profit organisation, registered with the Department of Social Development. A Committee closely monitors its finances and the accounts are audited every year and are available for inspection. It operates with the support (both financial and practical) of some seven Christian churches within the area. Each church takes it in turn to operate the Centre one day of the week, every single day of the year. The mission of the HSPC is to demonstrate Christ’s love through the provision of practical help and support, food, clothing and blankets to the vulnerable in the community. Often such support and love extends to transporting people to general and specialist hospitals and clinics for treatment, the payment of school fees for children whose parents cannot afford to do so, the payment of skills enhancement courses (for those who whose skills do not allow them to find employment), supporting individuals within congregations who are facing hardship, assisting those with alcohol or drug dependency problems etc.

The HSPC operates in three areas: the village of Somerset West, the “formal” township of Chris Nissen Park and the informal township of Sir Lowry’s Pass Village. In addition, through the provision of food and clothing, we assist organisations, such as Cotlands (which cares for HIV infected babies), Bright Lights (which cares for orphaned children), Night Shelter (with provides 40 beds for those who have no accommodation), as well as various homes that care for the elderly.

The HSPC does not receive any government or provincial funding for its work. Like most voluntary organisations, it relies upon the financial support and practical help of local churches and businesses, congregations and individuals. Apart from one part-time paid supervisor, the Centre does not have any other employees and all the work that is accomplished is undertake by volunteers from the community.

At the beginning of 2007, the HSPC decided that particular assistance was needed in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village, where the conditions are appalling in terms of housing and facilities. Large parts of the population live in “shacks”, without any services, such as running water; most people have access to a common standpipe from which they collect water for their cooking and other needs. Many people therefore have never showered or bathed. The two doctors who used to work part-time at the clinic were removed for budgetary reasons and the sick now have to undertake a five-mile walk, in all weather conditions, to the local hospital to obtain treatment or to receive TB or antiretroviral medication. Often they do not have the money for the bus fare. High unemployment rates and violent crime, such as rape, prevail. There is a growing use of the drug, “tik” (crystal meth or methamphetamine), amongst the youth. In all likelihood being without hope exacerbates the problems.

The HSPC has therefore taken over the old, disused railway station at Sir Lowry’s Pass Village to make a difference in the community. The aim of the Centre is to:

1. Provide a central point from which people can be fed, supported and cared for.
2. Provide support and dignity to those who are terminally ill, whether with HIV/AIDS, TB, cancer or any other disease, through the establishment of a day-care centre, where such people may have a place where they might shelter from the sun, wind or rain and be cared for, bathed and fed.
3. Provide a place of refuge for children, whether orphaned or not, where they are afforded safe and congenial surroundings.
4. Establish a community bakery, where people are not only taught how to bake, but also enabled to sell their produce.
5. Provide training facilities in basic computing skills, HIV/AIDS education, hygiene, childcare, kitchen gardening etc.
6. Train and provide an outreach home-based care service for those that are ill both within and outside the community, by working in close cooperation with the local health care providers and Helderberg Hospice.
7. Encourage the youth to participate in the welfare and betterment of the community through music, litter cleaning campaigns, football matches etc.
8. Distribution of soup, bread, fruit and blankets
9. Provide a place for spiritual help, comfort and prayer.

With the HSPC resources stretched quite considerably, we had no idea how we were going to achieve our objectives. It is therefore with some considerable thankfulness and wonderment that we received the news that Rev Ron Curtis, Andrew Fletcher, the congregation of the Parish Church of St Thomas Stourbridge, the Choral Society and Edgbaston High School, were going to support our efforts. It is impossible to describe how encouraging it is to know that there are people on the other side of the world, who continue to care and help those in need. We know that our prayers are being answered and we give thanks to you for your very generous response to the Lent Appeal, which raised the magnificent sum of GBP1020.17.

The HSPC is fully aware of the sacrifices that you have made to raise this sum and we wish to assure you that your efforts are enabling us to make a difference within the communities in which we serve. The money raised has been or will be utilised for the following purposes:

We have purchased a nutritional porridge, in one-kilogram bags (which lasts a week) for those that are ill in the community, the results of which have been nothing short of miraculous. It is a clear demonstration of the fact that with the appropriate vitamins and minerals, people who are ill can regain strength and have some quality of life.
As we are in the midst of a particularly cold and wet winter in the Cape, we have purchased and distributed 300 blankets to those that either have shelter, but which is inadequate, as well as to those who have no shelter and who either sleep on our streets or in the bush.
We have made up and distributed food parcels for orphanages within the community.
There is a considerable amount that we need to do at Sir Lowry’s Pass Railway Station: kitchen surfaces and shelving need to be erected; better seating and day beds are required for those who are ill; railings are required between the platform and railways lines, for safety reasons; windows need to be repaired; shower facilities need to be installed etc. Part of the funds have therefore been reserved for these purposes. With the help of local churches and businesses, as well as individuals, we hope to be able to furnish the premises.

The Parish of St Thomas Stourbridge has and is continuing to make a difference in the lives of the poor, marginalized, destitute and sick members of the community of the Helderberg Basin. Above all it is bringing hope and encouragement to both recipients and volunteers, and for that we give you our heartfelt thanks. God bless you abundantly for your generosity, kindness and compassion.