Giving needy girls the write stuff

GIRLS at the Ons Plek Shelter for Girls were ecstatic after Education MEC Debbie Schäfer visited the home and donated a year’s worth of stationery to the children to assist them with their education and road to recovery.

The shelter in Woodstock cares for 34 girls who have been removed from abusive homes or have become street children, and provides them with their basic needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, education and care.

It also operates three early intervention projects to prevent children from dropping out of school – and stationery was listed as one of the essentials needed.

“As part of Women’s Month, I had to see what I could do to assist the girls with their education. It turns out that what they needed the most was stationery. Education is important for everyone, but it’s a critical area of empowerment for girls and women.

“Educating a woman has a massive positive impact within the family and from generation to generation,” said Schäfer adding that Ons Plek assisted the department by helping pupils stay in school through afterschool homework assistance, life skills, counselling, family counselling and holiday programs.

The provincial Department of Social Development consequently provides the shelter with R1.5 million a year.

Ons Plek director Pam Jackson said the shelter had reduced the number of street children coming from Philippi from 50 a year to one in the last 13 years. She said 70 children now attended their prevention programmes which she said has been an incredible experience to witness.

“The girls of Ons Plek need every bit of help they can get to strengthen their abilities in school. Stationery is the resource they need to do their best.”

Schäfer said she was grateful to see the organisation’s commitment, and hoped to encourage others to assist the home.

Should anyone wish to assist Ons Plek with its work, contact Jackson via pam.reflect@gmail.com