A R300 000 Vehicle Donation Keeps the Kids Haven School Run Operating

More than 100 Gauteng children with street connections, but who thirst for education, have been thrown a R300 000 lifeline.

Benoni-based Kids Haven provides residential care to up to 173 vulnerable and disadvantaged youngsters, 113 of whom are transported to 22 different schools every day. But the reliability of the facility’s ageing vehicles was threatening to disrupt the school run, until the South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT) recently stepped into the breach, providing a brand new 23-seater vehicle.

Speaking at an event to celebrate the earlier hand-over of the vehicle, SAMCT representative, Mr Gaf Osman, said: ” Kids Haven has, for many years, done sterling work in understandably difficult circumstances in pursuit of its rehabilitation of children with street connections and other vulnerable young people.

Kids Haven, which this year celebrates 27 years service to young street kids and other vulnerable children, has found in the past that those in its care asked for three things, food and clothing, to go back to school and communication with families to indicate they were fine. Today, Kids Haven continues providing these basic services to children with street connections, but has extended its operations to include prevention and early intervention, psycho-social support and developmental programmes, as well as ongoing aftercare to young people exiting Kids Haven.

“The growth of the facility, coupled with the ageing of its vehicles have conspired to create the transport problem Kids Haven faces and it would be tragic if the children its serves were unable to reach the schools they attend because of transport limitations,” said Mr Osman.

The reality is that many organisations, such as Kids Haven, do not have the finances to provide for all their own requirements.

Mr Osman said: “The South African Muslim Charitable Trust is only too happy to step into the breach, easing Kids Haven’s financial burden and concern for the future by contributing R300 000 towards the purchase of a new 23-seater vehicle, the provision of which will ensure the children in its care may continue with their schooling.”

He added: “The organisation’s Vision is indeed noble, seeking to re-integrate affected youngsters into the community, giving them the opportunity to become the best that they can be. There are numerous reasons as to why so many of our country’s young people end up on the streets. Poverty must, however, rank as one of the root causes of this distressing phenomenon. There is no escaping the fundamental reality that poverty has the effect of dumping a host of problems onto children; problems not of their making and problems they are simply not equipped to deal with.”

Kids Haven has been particularly successful in its efforts to encourage young people off the streets and into its caring, healthy and educational environment, and to participate in its support

programmes. However, this creates challenges, such as the ever growing need for effective transportation.

Mr Osman added: “Kids Haven does the most incredible work, but faces a heavy burden of financial and social responsibilities, without having to worry about transport issues as well. The lack of transport would negatively affect the young people in its charge. In view of this, the SAMCT is only too happy to ease Kids Haven’s financial burden and concern for the future.”

The SAMCT was created in 2008, the result of a partnership between Old Mutual Unit Trusts and Al Baraka Bank for the creation, marketing and distribution of a suite of Shariah Funds. This partnership ensures that the SAMCT is the beneficiary of this Shariah suite of funds in order to provide funding, services and other resources for the improvement of the lives of the vulnerable, deprived and disadvantaged. The organisation has been singularly successful in delivering sizeable assistance solutions throughout South Africa – irrespective of race or religion – and continues to work to support needy organisations in the fields of health, social development, poverty alleviation and education.

“We, of the SAMCT, are very pleased to have had the opportunity over the years to play a role in assisting organisations committed to the furtherance of South Africa’s peoples – especially our youth,” said Mr Osman.

ends

For more information about SAMCT or
its Kids Haven vehicle donation, please contact: