Over the years, the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID) has built a strong partnership with NGO Khulisa Social Solutions. This month we touch base with Jesse Laitinen, manager of strategic partnerships, to get an update on the NGO’s projects and how it’s addressing ever-increasing challenges in the Central City.
1. Khulisa’s approach is all about empowerment through the building of skills, the targeting of behaviour and giving individuals responsibility so that they become functional members of society. What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?
Jesse Laitinen: Being able to be part of making a difference in another person’s life is the most rewarding feeling; it gives clear purpose and meaning to all our efforts. I wish everyone could experience the kind of work we do, where the reward is not just the salaries we receive but the priceless experience of seeing happiness and gratitude every day. I never knew that one can get paid in emotions, too.
2. Tell us about Khulisa’s 2019 projects …
Jesse Laitinen: Our most exciting project this year is the building of houses in Kuils River for our beneficiaries who are street people. Without a place you can call home, it is almost impossible to change one’s life. An integrated solution that can address the root causes of homelessness, and not just its symptoms, is providing someone with a home, work and psycho-social support. This kind of approach has been missing for people using drugs and with mental health issues.
This first of hopefully many “Streetscapes villages” provide dignity and productive, healthy lives for our most vulnerable people in the spirit of our Constitution. The architect facilitating the process is working with our beneficiaries who will be involved in every stage from conceptualising, drawing plans and the actual building of the houses. For them it was an important way to show that they can do things for themselves and not depend on handouts.
3. How is the Khulisa Streetscapes programme progressing? Are there any new developments?
Jesse Laitinen: The evidence of Streetscapes’ success has translated into lots of new opportunities for our clients. We currently have one public toilet, four gardens, five hydroponic tunnels and four cleaning projects that employ 60 street people fulltime. This has all been achieved in four years and we would have not been able to do it without the support of our many partners, the CCID in particular.
A new project in partnership with Long Street businesses and the CCID started at the beginning of April. It provides some of the most vulnerable street people on Long Street with a work opportunity to serve the area by cleaning and tending to so-called ‘hotspots’.
Note: You can read about the Long Street project and how to get involved here.
4. The strength of the CCID’s partnership with Khulisa has seen collaborations cross over from the CCID’s Social Development department to Urban Management. How is this going?
Our partnership with Urban Management has been great and for that we are very grateful. I’ve been very impressed with the team’s knowledge and understanding of our clients and their challenges, and how they put real effort into motivating change in the lives of our beneficiaries.
5. Are there any updates you’d like to talk about when it comes to the CCID and the Khulisa Bin Project that has since been rolled out permanently?
The long-term sustainability of the Bin Project is a blessing! Martin Lilane, one of the first participants, has moved to his own house with his girlfriend last month and saves money every month for household items. Two of the women in the group have reconnected with their children. They give us money to safe-keep so when we take them to see each other, the money can be given to the kids. In addition, one gentleman has moved to our Safe House as he was ready to leave the life of drugs behind him.
These stories show the powerful effects of having faith in someone, regardless of their current circumstances.
6. What type of help do you require as Streetscapes and how can people get involved?
People can get involved by helping in our gardens. We are focusing on beautifying the Roeland Garden area inside and outside. Volunteers can also donate spekboom shoots to line the pathway we are creating on the outside boundary wall or help with building the rustic market stall by the entrance to the garden.
We would also appreciate any succulent shoots for our new succulent nursery so we can beautify our city centre, and these can be dropped off at the Roeland Garden. And naturally, any financial donations towards beneficiary stipends or the cost of building of houses would help a lot!
To inquire about Streetscapes, contact Khulisa on 021 465 6112 or visit www.khulisa.org.za.
IMAGES: Scott Arendse, CCID Online Coordinator and Khulisa