APPEAL TO ASSIST NGOs IMPACTED BY KWAZULU NATAL FLOODING
Author: MAMA's Alliance
The floods that ravaged KwaZulu Natal in April, and again recently, have caused untold destruction and devastation. Billions of rands worth of damage has been caused to infrastructure, over 430 people lost their lives, and many are still missing.
NGOS and community-based organisations have been instrumental in providing relief to flood victims, collecting and distributing food, clothing and other essentials.
What happens when the NGO themselves is the victim? What happens to the NGOs who have been affected, those community organisations who themselves have been left with damaged facilities, affected staff and an uncertain future?
Of the many affected NGOs, two particular organisations who urgently need assistance are part of MAMAS Alliance, a network of 37 sustainable NGOS from 75 predominantly rural sites countrywide.
These NGOs provide structural, practical and daily care to the most vulnerable children.
One organisation that provides ECD services to the communities and trains ECD practitioners has lost almost everything. TREE, based in Umgeni Park, suffered flooded training classrooms and the toy factory, which is utilised to make toys as an income generating activity, has been destroyed.
TREE is a non-profit organisation that specialises in Early Childhood Development resources and trains an ECD workforce to enable them to promote quality holistic early childhood development.
Kabelo Mosate, Managing Director of MAMAS Alliance, says that many crucial ECD centres within KwaZulu Natal have lost all of their study materials, all of their food, their buildings and structures and even their food gardens.
Another organisation badly affected is Woza Moya. Located about 15kms from the town of Ixopo in the Ufafa Valley, this NGO provides access to childcare and protection, sustainable livelihoods and early childhood and youth development for the community.
The Woza Moya centre and home gardens have been destroyed by the rain and many homes in the surrounding communities washed away. These gardens were instrumental in improving nutrition and addressing food shortages in the area.
“These are just two organisations of many that have been left reeling from the floods. These NG0s work day in and day out to help our young children to develop, to be nurtured and to reach their full potential” Mosate says. “They are now the ones needing our help. We urge our existing corporate partners and any potential partners to assist us to rebuild these important organisations and to support the people behind them, so that they can continue with the essential work that they do”.
Anyone interested in partnering with MAMAS Alliance to assist these and other NGOs affected can go to www.mamasalliance.com or email info@mamasalliance.com.