The Lions Club of Tokai handed over 10 “dignity bags” to the First Community Resource Centre in Hanover Park on Saturday December 10.
Although the 16 Days of No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign ended on Saturday December 10, the need to help women and children over the festive season grows even more, says Pastor Craven Engel from the First Community Resource Centre in Hanover Park.
Pastor Engel thanked The Lions Club of Tokai for giving 10 “dignity bags” to the organisation on Saturday December 10, International Human Rights Day.
The bags contain soap, deodorant, sanitary pads, socks and other basic needs.
The First Community Resource Centre runs a safe house and has 23 families on its system. It is currently helping 78 “walk-ins”.
“The aim of our safe house is to prevent the institutionalisation of vulnerable children and to prevent family breakdowns. We have trained and developed temporary safety parents who have all been criminally checked. We match safety parents up with the individual child’s needs. While the child receives the care he or she needs, we counsel, train and develop their parents with the aim of reuniting the family. This time of the year, we find that we have more ‘walk-ins’, as people know this is a place where they can get professional help,” Pastor Engel said.
Mark Russouw, the president of The Lions Club of Tokai, said taking a stand against abuse was important to them.
“Earlier this year, we had a fund-raiser where men walked in high heels to bring awareness to gender-based violence. The money raised there was used to purchase the ‘dignity bags’. We donated 10 to the First Community Resource Centre, as well as an organisation in Lavender Hill. We’ve also supported the victim support room at Steenberg SAPS. The 10 bags might not be much, but we know it will at least help to make a difference in the lives of the women who so desperately need the help,” Mr Russouw said.