Picture: Children from deprived backgrounds receive funding/Supplied
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
North West MEC for Social Development, Lazarus Mokgosi said orphans and vulnerable children at Utlwanang Township, near Christiana, will benefit from a one-year funding. During the second leg of the North West Provincial Government’s Accelerated Service Delivery programme, Thuntsha Lerole, Mokgosi handed over a symbolic cheque worth R952 324 000 to the Utlwanang Council of Churches representatives to enable them to continue to provide services to vulnerable children, older persons and persons with disabilities in the area.
On receiving the symbolic cheque, Utlwanang Council of Churches Project Manager, Obakeng Thomas, hailed the department for providing their organisation with funding.
“This is for the ninth time in a row. This is a financial boost and it will enable us to provide psycho-social support to the vulnerable children. So, we are grateful to receive the cheque.
“We are indeed humbled by this gesture and promise to use it in a transparent, efficient and effective manner for the benefit of the needy among our communities,” he said.
According to Thomas, they will continue to provide support to HIV/AIDS-infected and affected families and individuals in Kanana, Kgwapapa, Ikageleng, Sonderwater, Greenfield, Geluksoord Extensions, Monoto and Ngape.
He further said the Utlwanang Council of Churches was established by leaders of various churches amidst the high rise of HIV infections in the area, which contributed to a number of orphans and vulnerable children.
Thomas added that unemployment is also rife in the area, forcing most residents to depend squarely on social grants and odd jobs from the neighbouring farms.
Mokgosi whose department provides funding to most NPOs in the social sector, cautioned the Council of Churches to use government funding for its intended purpose.
“NPOs are strategically located within our communities to provide much needed services to the most vulnerable and they serve as an extended arm of government. As such, we trust them with government money and we urge them to submit financial reports to the department.
“Since the Thuntsha Lerole Service Delivery programme was launched in Mamusa in July 2003, we have handed over cheques to more than ten NPOs, including women-owned SMMEs across the province,” he said.
Mokgosi said they have also provided social relief of distress in the form of food parcels to poverty-stricken families.
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