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This centre still needs help to set up a trust fund for kids

Botshelo Selogilwe

Botshelo Selogilwe

Although a lot of people drive past the Carl Sithole Social Centre, one wonders how many bother to stop and see what is happening, or how they can help the children living there.

When Sowetan's Mama Angel, accompanied by Afropop star Ntando Bangane, descended on the Centre's Salvation Army in Klipspruit, Soweto, the children were understandably excited. Mama Angel donated groceries worth R5000.

Klipspruit is a poor, depressed area where many of the adults are unemployed.

The Salvation Army cares for poor and homeless children in the area, including those affected and infected by HIV-Aids.

The organisation runs the Carl Sithole Centre, which includes the Bethany Children's Home. The home cares for sexually and physically abused children and orphans. The home also accommodates children from Bethesda House, the Carl Sithole Memorial Creche, a day-care centre and preschool, the Wellness Voluntary Counselling, Testing and Anti-Retroviral Treatment Support Centre and the Lancaster Community Centre, which supports and cares for the community through educational programmes.

"Although we are grateful for the groceries, we have not received anything else.

"We still need a lot of help and would appreciate any help," said Captain Magdeline Phori, who runs the centre.

She said the Salvation Army would be grateful for any help, including volunteers at the centre, donations or contributions of time and talent so that they could generate income for sewing and knitting projects.

The organisation's most urgent need is for skills training programmes for people with disabilities.

The centre needs to establish a trust fund for the children to further their tertiary education.

The Salvation Army's programmes help a lot of people, particularly during the highveld's icy winter.

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