The civil society has a responsibility to ensure that citizens fully understand the regulations of the lockdown and that they always remain safe. Democracy Development Program (DDP) partners such as Children Have a Dream (CHAD) are working around eThekwini Municipality, alongside businesses and other citizens who donate, to ensure that destitute citizens and families have food and essentials during these difficult times.
CHAD have distributed food parcels in Sydenham, Newlands East, Wentworth, Verulam and Parlock informal settlement. CHAS is an organisation based in Newlands near KwaMashu. The organisation was founded by Sheldon and Zenobia Francis. Since its inception in 2014, the organisation has been running on funding from a campaign that donated R5000 food vouchers. However, most of their funding come through friends and private donations through people who follow their work on social media.
It is important for civil society organizations to understand that no matter their organizational objectives, it will be useful for people in their organizational and individual capacity to assist where they can as little as they can afford can make a difference one way or another.
Contribution during COVID-19 outbreak
CHAD has partnered with the #CoronaCare campaign which came into existence at the time of the President’s announcement of the pandemic in the middle of March 2020.
CoronaCare is a match-making platform, connecting concerned South Africans with organisations on the ground supporting those in need during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Since lockdown they have managed to make a real difference in the lives of the communities around the Metro.
They have had a daily feeding scheme assisting between 500 to 800 people per day.
They have given out grocery hampers to 250 families, as well as toiletries to 50 young girls.
They have also supplied basic toiletries to 10 new-born babies.
Their reach has been mostly informal settlements in the Durban Metro.
You can reach this program here> Facebook page