A reliable car facilitates the day-to-day operations of child-protection organisations, from transporting children to safe shelters to facilitating home visits and court appointments. With this in mind the keys to a brand-new seven-seater vehicle to the value of R 270 000 were handed to the Hermanus Child and Family Services (HCFS) by the South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT).
A good vehicle also serves as a lifeline for child-protection workers, enabling them to swiftly respond to emergencies, to reach vulnerable children in remote areas, ensuring no child is left without the care and support they desperately need.
Moreover, it instils confidence and reassurance in both the child-protection workers and the children themselves. Knowing they have a dependable means of transport empowers them to navigate challenging situations with greater ease and efficiency. In such critical moments having a reliable mode of transport can make all the difference.
Unfortunately the reality is that many child-protection organisations face budget constraints, making it difficult to maintain a fleet of reliable vehicles.
HCFS, a registered non-profit organisation (NPO) and public-benefit organisation (PBO), is one of many child-protection establishments negatively affected and compromised by old and failing vehicles.
The vital service they offer received a much-needed boost when the SA Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT) donated a brand-new to HCFS.
David Duncan, HCFS General Manager, said the “donation is not merely a gift of metal and machinery; it is a beacon of hope, a symbol of solidarity, and a tangible expression of compassion towards the most vulnerable members of our society – our children. But beyond its practical utility, this donation embodies the spirit of compassion and solidarity that lies at the heart of our collective endeavour. It reminds us that in times of need we are not alone, that there are individuals and organisations such as the South African Muslim Charitable Trust standing beside us, ready to lend a helping hand and make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.
“So, on behalf of all those who will benefit from this generous donation – the children, the families and the entire community, I extend my deepest gratitude to the trust. Your generosity will not only enable us to fulfil our mission more effectively, but it will also serve as a shining example of the transformative power of compassion and solidarity.”
The HCFS is now in its 80th year, established as it was in 1944 to provide social and developmental services to children, families and communities. Its focus has been on child protection, child-abuse prevention and early-childhood development.
Faried Boltman, a SAMCT representative, stated that the organisation was extremely pleased it was in a position to support HCFS through the donation of a new vehicle.
He said: “When safe, reliable and economical transport is compromised it places the organisation’s entire operation in jeopardy, preventing social workers from effectively undertaking and expanding its very necessary investigations, home visits and assistance with transporting children for court appearances. Our support has enabled the organisation to expand its fleet, ensuring the continuance of its essential services to children and enabling staff to focus wholly on child abuse prevention.
“This entails parenting skills development programmes, child abuse prevention programmes, community-based information programmes regarding the Children’s Act and holiday programmes for children to develop an understanding of how to enjoy positive leisure time while learning life skills and developing a positive outlook.”
The SAMCT was created in 2008, a partnership between Old Mutual Unit Trusts and Al Baraka Bank, and provides funding, services and other resources for the improvement of the lives of the vulnerable, deprived and disadvantaged.
“We hope and trust that our vehicle-sponsorship intervention here will give effect to renewed momentum to the work of Hermanus Child and Family Services, and its crucial protection of the interests of vulnerable children in and around the town,” Boltman concluded.
