StreetSmart SA, an organisation dedicated to helping street children rebuild their lives R5 at a time through donations from restaurants, accommodation establishments and wine tasting venues in the Western Cape, Garden Route and Gauteng, has handed over R495,000 to organisations caring for Cape Town’s most vulnerable children.
This grand effort is part of the total StreetSmart allocation of over R1 million for 2020 distributed nationally to 38 programmes working with children at risk.
The nine Cape Town beneficiaries are Amy Foundation, Cape Town Multi Service Centre, Home from Home – Masiphumulele, Ocean View and Westlake, Learn to Live, Ons Plek, The Homestead Projects, T.L.C. Outreach Projects, School of Hope – Thembalitsha Foundation, and Zip Zap Circus.
The StreetSmart funds were handed over at an event held at the Salesian Institute in Green Point, where Nik Rabinowitz entertained guests with his famous Archbishop Tutu impersonations.
“As a community, Cape Town can help children in need by working with StreetSmart and its local partners. By supporting StreetSmart rather than giving money to a child on the street, you can make a huge difference in the life of a child. If it was not for StreetSmart partners helping Ons Plek make a difference, I don’t know where I could have ended up,” said Bevinda, who gave credit to Ons Plek, her home for the last few years until matric, for the positive impact the organisation has made on her life and the lives of the other children in their care.
There are currently thirty four establishments in Cape Town that have embraced StreetSmart’s vision to make a real difference to the lives of street children or children at risk of living on the streets.
- Funds are raised by adding a R5 donation to each patron’s bill. This donation is voluntary and donors are able to contribute more if they wish to.
“GOLD Restaurant supports StreetSmart as we truly believe in the work that they do and have done for the past 14 years. The organisations that benefit from our donations have a direct impact in our community. Our staff are fully committed to engaging with our guests on why we support StreetSmart and this often results in our wonderful guests contributing more than R5 at a time. Our thanks go to our guests for their generous contributions,” says Cindy Muller, MD of GOLD Restaurant.
With this generous gesture, StreetSmart establishments and their guests are real change makers in their own communities.
StreetSmart SA
“With the help of our generous supporters, StreetSmart continues to stand out as an important conduit of much needed funding for our beneficiary organisations. In spite of current financial pressures making it harder for people
Africa Melane (StreetSmart SA) and Ade Oyewo (School of Hope)
to donate, StreetSmart will be disbursing over R1 million to beneficiaries nationally for the sixth consecutive year, enabling us to support 38 programmes. We are so excited to be able to continue this work through responsible giving and we invite restaurants, accommodation establishments and wine tasting venues to become StreetSmart in their local communities,” says Melanie Burke, Chairman of StreetSmart SA.
StreetSmart SA was set up in 2005 by a group of concerned Capetonians under the patronage of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and comprises resourceful board members representing business, and the hospitality and tourism industries. Similar StreetSmart organisations also run independently in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and The Netherlands.
StreetSmart SA is registered as a Public Benefit Organisation as well as a Non-profit Organisation and ensures that every cent donated by guests goes towards social and educational upliftment projects for street children. StreetSmart’s goal is to be part of the process of social normalisation and to encourage the public not to give money into the hands of a child as this keeps them on the streets. In essence, donating to StreetSmart where you eat, drink and sleep is the responsible way to help a street child.
INFO: For more information or to make a donation, contact StreetSmart SA at Tel: 021 447 3227 email info@streetsmartsa.org.za or visit.
LEAD PHOTO: L.t.r. Jacqueline Haywood, Karolien Wesselink (CPT Multi Service Centre) with Melanie Burke (StreetSmart SA)
See also Cape Town Green Map
