KOMANI CHILD WELFARE FACING DIRE CHALLENGES
Support needed to aid children
QUEENSTOWN Child Welfare in Komani is fighting an ongoing battle to protect children under threat in the area, but with a sharp increase in the neglect and abuse of children over the years and financially challenging times, the organisation’s challenges keep growing.
Management board chairwoman Maria Adonis recently addressed the Border Kei Chamber of Business AGM at the Queenstown Golf Club to shed some light on what the organisation was doing to remain viable, particularly considering the fact that both the East London and Aliwal North Child Welfare bodies had recently closed down due to financial challenges.
The local organisation, established in 1923, provides services to the poor, including women, underprivileged children and men who form part of families in need of social services.
The main focus area is children aged between 0 and 12, with the social workers trying to protect them from all forms of abuse and neglect.
Adonis said the emotional, physical and sexual abuse of children, mainly due to the high moral decay and abuse of alcohol and drugs in communities, were of great concern.
Several children had been removed from abusive environments into safe homes such as Zonke Izinto which houses about 13 children, aged between 0 and 18.
The body also offers adoption services and is accredited to render such services with children placed as far as Sweden, Ireland and France and around South Africa.
Other challenges facing Child Welfare in Komani are a high rate of school drop outs and unemployment, leading to high crime rates and prostitution, the latter which, in turn, contribute to increased HIV and Aids rates. The number of children living on the streets is also showing an increase.
Adonis indicated that while Child Welfare was doing what it could, including enrolling street children for karate sessions to teach them discipline and overseeing community vegetable gardens, the six social workers were battling to contend with about 725 case files emanating from the area.
Child Welfare provides services to schools in the area and to Frontier Hospital, Komani Hospital and the six clinics.
Adonis has appealed for assistance, including from the business community, in helping Child Welfare in Komani to keep its doors open and to share business skills and expertise to allow the body to continue its work.
Child Welfare in Komani is based at 48 Owen