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Yolande Stander
Plettenberg Bay has become the latest town to join StreetSmart South Africa in a bid to uplift street children.
This only weeks after local residents started a petition to convince local authorities to help homeless children in town get off the streets, after various incidents of violent and lewd behaviour among a group of them in the town's Main Street.
StreetSmart SA is a non-profit organisation dedicated to family reunification and upliftment of street children and raises funds by getting the support of local restaurants. The organisation launched its Plett chapter on Wednesday at the Nguni Restaurant in Plettenberg Bay.
Participating restaurants raise funds through encouraging diners to add R5 to their bill, but this is completely voluntary and diners can decline or add more if they wish. The restaurants place a small card on their tables that informs patrons about the initiative.
"It is really important for the public to realise that they should not be giving children money on the street. It essentially keeps them on the streets as they keep on coming back for more money. So it is more important to dine at StreetSmart restaurants and that is how the public can put the money into the organisations who can help the children in the correct way that really changes their lives," founder of StreetSmart SA Margi Biggs said.
The organisation has raised more than R7.7-million over the past nine years. "I know in terms of fundraising that doesn't sound like a lot, but it has made a huge difference and considering that it came in R5 at a time is impressive."
Biggs said every cent of the funds raised went to beneficiaries and "first prize" was reuniting children with their families.
"Children belong with their families and we try and help by enabling these families to be in a state to receive their children back. We also support education and skills development as well as social workers and teachers."
Biggs also announced that this year's beneficiary for the Plett chapter of StreetSmart was Masizame.
Masizame means "let us try" in isXhosa and supports vulnerable children through three phases including early childhood development. They also have a child and youth centre for children who are unable to live with their parents for various reasons as well as a drop-in centre where children working the street receive food, a shower, life-skills training, mentorship and guidance.
Masizame business manager Brenda Wall said they dealt with about 54 street children every day.
"I came across StreetSmart when I was doing research into what happens to children on the streets of South Africa and was impressed by the simplicity of the programme for all concerned; the restaurants, the diners and from an administrative point of view. so many people want to help street children, but have no idea what to do and end up giving them money which keeps them on the street. StreetSmart offers a constructive way of giving which id designed to take children off the streets," chairman of the Plett chapter Karen Spurrier said.
Restaurants supporting the initiative in Plettenberg Bay include Nguni Restaurant, Moby Dicks, Offthehook Seafood Cafe, The Fat Fish and The Table.
Various restaurants in Cape Town, Paarl, Franschhoek, Stellenbosch, Swellendam, Helderberg, Johannesburg and Pretoria also support StreetSmart.
