‘Smiles on faces’ as homes given a needed lift

The project is an initiative by the departments of Correctional Services and Human Settlements

PRISONERS at Goodwood Correctional Services are making a huge difference by helping to renovate the home of a wheelchair-bound eightyear-old girl.

Faith Filander, 8, who was paralysed from the neck down after a spinal injury, lives with her family of five in a small four-roomed house.

Yesterday, work began on the Filander’s home and 15 others in the Morningstar community of Durbanville.

The project is an initiative by the departments of Correctional Services and Human Settlements, and was seen as a lead-up to Mandela Month and to mark the 60th anniversary of the Freedom Charter which, states that everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing.

The renovations include beautifying and upgrading the 16 houses by volunteers and eight prisoners assisted by the Department of Human Settlements.

Faith’s father, Simon Filander, 44, said the renovation was a “huge relief on our part”.

“For us as the family, this renovation is a big thing, it has put smiles on our faces,” said Filander. We used to struggle to get our daughter inside the house. now it will have a wheelchair-designated entrance.”

In addition to making the entrance wheel-chair friendly, workers will replace the roof and ceiling, paint, and build a bathroom inside the house.

One of the prisoners, Manelisi Hlakuva, said he felt good that he is now a changed man and doing something positive for the community.

“Yes, in the past I did bad things but now I am a changed man. I will make sure that the owners of the houses feel good about their houses when they are complete.”

At the launch of the renovating of the dilapidated houses, Deputy Minister for Human Settlements Zou Kota-Fredericks said community leaders had raised concerns about the way the 16 families lived.

“This is an opportunity to show we care,” said Kota-Fredericks, adding that all South Africans should also do the same in honour of Nelson Mandela.

The area’s ward PR, councillor Koos Bredenhand, said the families had been chosen because they are impoverished.