‘Eradicating poverty one home at a time’
the children from one family referring to a case worker as Santa Claus.
The 1% percent VAT increase, which was announced during the Budget speech last Wednesday, has escalated concerns for those battling to buy basic necessities. But the members of Child Welfare South Africa Duffs Road will not allow this to deter their work.
The organisation, which was formed in 1941, was initially called the Inanda Youth Movement and carried out similar activities to the official welfare groups.
This included counselling and distributing hampers. However, the South African National Council For Child and Family Welfare Society only recognised and accepted the organisation in 1943 once it changed its name to the Inanda Indian Welfare Society.
The non-profit organisation’s president, Shiner Ramkisson, who is also the oldest member, said other than food alleviation and counselling, they offered a daily feeding scheme at five schools.
Volunteers prepare 270 sandwiches a day for distribution.
Ramkisson said they wished they could help more children, but with limited funds they could only do so much and would persevere to do more.
The organisation, which has 27 volunteers who range in age from people in their thirties to those in their seventies, does not have an office to operate from.
“We do not receive a subsidy from the government because our organisation is manned by volunteers. We do not have paid social workers or paid staff, neither do we have company cars. Our expenses, nonetheless, are never in the red.”
The 71-year-old, of Durban North, a former executive finical adviser, said he had followed in his dad’s footsteps.
“It was his, and now my passion, to ensure Child Welfare South Africa – Duffs Road grows from strength to strength.
“But we need a fresh view on how to continue to serve the people and how we can make improvements where possible.”
The areas they cover included Duffs Road Township, Avoca, Corovoca, Mount Moriah and Phoenix. ISHARA and Daya Ramparsad, also known as one of the power couples at the organisation, have dedicated their lives towards helping those in need.
For the Ramparsads, who live in Duffs Road, serving their community and making a difference in people’s lives comes easy.
“My dad, Ramparsad Sheochand, was one of the founding members of Child Welfare South Africa – Duffs Road, so it was natural for my siblings and I to join and help once we understood the organisation.
“Ishara, on the other hand, was raised in Howick and her parents, who were involved in charity work, introduced her to the organisation from an early age,” said Daya, 60, the co-owner of lab24 pathology laboratory. Speaking on one of her most memorable cases, Ishara said: “We went to a home in Phoenix where two women were in dire need of assistance. All they had was a bowl of sugar in their cupboard. Nothing more. While we were there, a neighbour, who was boiling a whole chicken for supper, had cut off the feet and all the other parts she didn’t want and brought it over for them to eat. Fortunately, we had bread and a handful of groceries, which we gave them and from that day, we have been assisting them.”
Being part of the organisation, they added, made their lives meaningful.
“Through our work as volunteers, we hope to eradicate poverty one home at a time,” said Ishara, 54, a medical technologist.