UPDATE: Director of MTR Smit Children’s Haven, Tanya Eales, has confirmed that their subsidies were received yesterday, Wednesday, June 22. The haven would not have been able to pay their staff on June 24 but will now be able to do so.
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Disaster nearly struck a Nelson Mandela Bay NGO last week, when they reached the point where they only had enough food supplies left for three days.
Although the community immediately stepped in to help after an appeal for donations circulated on social media, MTR Smit Children’s Haven is still not out of the woods.
Director at the haven, Tanya Eales, said that they hadn’t received their government subsidy that was due at the end of May.
This led to the haven experiencing an extreme shortage of food to cater to the needs of the 75 children in their care.
Eales explained that the Department of Social Development subsidises the haven for 74 children (as per the new service level agreement – SLA – for this financial year from April 1, 2022 until March 31, 2023) at R4 000 per month.
This must cover food, clothing, toiletries, cleaning material, security, transport to and from school and programmes presented by professionals, as well as the part salaries of 11 child and youth care workers and two social workers.
“As a result of the intensive services rendered to the severely traumatised children, this is totally insufficient. The subsidy is supposed to be paid quarterly and in advance. The SLA of this year stipulates that the subsidy will be paid by the end of the second month of a particular quarter.
“The subsidies were thus due on May 31. We have had no communication from the Department of Social Development as to when we can expect payment despite requesting this information,” she said.
Eales added that when they nearly ran out of food, they put an appeal out on social media and within two days received enough food to last them until the end of June but if they don’t receive the subsidy by then, they will be unable to pay the salaries of 40 staff members.
“Despite doing our own fundraising, we are totally dependent on the subsidy and donations from the public and corporates.
“With our basic immediate need being met with regard to food, we are unable to pay most of our service providers.”
She added that despite these challenges, life within the haven is continuing as normal.
“The children are attending school in the morning and writing exams. In the afternoon they attend therapy and programmes to ensure their safety and provide them with the necessary life skills.
“Their routine has not been disrupted at all.
“We have normalised the situation and explained that in any life situation, a parent may lose their income and the family has to work together and help where necessary. This does, however, still provide stress as the children are concerned that the haven could shut down and where would they go. They certainly don’t need the stress and feelings of insecurity.
“The staff are still smiling and carrying on as usual and doing the tasks at hand. They are using it as a life lesson to explain to the children why the menu has to change, etc. The staff are obviously very concerned about the possibility of not receiving their salaries at the end of June as they are mostly single mothers with bills to pay and need to put food on their own tables.”
What do the children need?
According to Eales, the immediate needs for the children, aged between three and 20-years old, are toiletries, especially roll-on, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, vaseline and body cream. They also need cleaning materials, tomato sauce, chutney and spices.
“I feel that it is the state’s responsibility to financially provide for these children and that they are placing us under tremendous stress to provide a service to children who have been exposed to complex trauma,” Eales said.
“The children are already suffering and staff work under very difficult circumstances as it is because the children show their pain through their behaviour. No child wants to be taken away from their family despite what they are being exposed to.
“The subsidies are cut annually and this also places undue stress on us.”
She mentioned that the subsidy for 18 children (R864 000 per annum) was cut last year without warning and notification was received almost two months into the financial year.
“Budgets are drawn up by MTR and cannot be kept up. Money needs to be borrowed which means that interest will be incurred which will not be refunded by the department.”
Although fundraising activities are in place to supplement their government income, every day is a struggle to pay accounts, buy food, clothing, electricity, water and petrol, among others.
“We have been overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity displayed by the people of Gqeberha and would like to thank everyone who came to our aid.”
Anyone who would like to donate to the haven, can contact them on 041 367 1103. An alternative number to call is 083 459 7758.
Social Development spokesperson, Mzukisi Solani, said that their district has commenced procurement of all seven approved child and youth care centres in the Nelson Mandela Bay region.
“Four of the seven are at approval stage. These are MTR Smit, EP, Khayelethu and Oosterland. The other three are still at recommendation stage,” Solani explained.
“Transfers will be effected during the month of June 2022. MTR Smit already submitted all required documents. All centres are aware that process has started,” he added.
