Solidarity Helping Hand

Meet Hennie Roux: The KwaZulu Natal regional organiser

Vera-Lynne — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:20:13 +0000

COMMUNITY FOCUS 11 May 2012 Page 9

Solidarity Helping Hand’s strength lies in its 120 branches countrywide. Keeping one’s head while organising all the branches’ projects and volunteers, requires a special kind of person … a regional manager. We have pleasure in introducing you to the KwaZulu Natal Regional Organiser, Hennie Roux.

For how long have you been living in KwaZulu Natal? Eighteen years.

Are you married? Do you have children? Yes, I am married and have three sons.

What did you do before joining Solidarity? I was involved in Environmental Control on the goldfields. Now I am a full-time Minister of religion and also the regional organiser of Helping Hand.

Why did you get involved with Helping Hand? I have been involved with the Richards Bay branch and am also the branch chairperson. My entire life consists of sowing and reaping. What I do for others, God does for me, as well. I am the kind of person who likes to organise and if I can use this gift to mobilise other people towards having a better future, I find happiness.

Why do you remained involved? Helping Hand is the means to an end.

What is the best part of your job? In my career I work with leaders, training them and equipping them to render service. I work with branch chairpersons and am able to make a difference by helping them achieve success, which makes me happy.

Which project has been particularly satisfying for you so far? Our breakthrough in getting street children off the streets and break the vicious circle was very satisfying. The school bag project and job creation projects are near to my heart as well. I am also writing a programme based on the word of God, about entrepreneurship and job creation which I am going to use as a pilot project in KwaZulu Natal.

What don’t you like in your job? People being poverty-stricken. At Helping Hand we believe the battle against poverty is a battle for good training. Upliftment through training is our solution.

How many branches fall under you at present? The KwaZulu Natal region consists of 12 branches. They are Richards bay, Empangeni, Vryheid, Mthubathuba, Dundee, Newcastle, Ladysmith, Pietermaritzburg, Amanzimtoti, Port Shepstone, Pinetown and Durban.

With which other organisations does Helping Hand co-operate in the region? With everybody who shares our objectives upliftment and empowerment through training, whether they be schools, churches, business chambers, the private sector or other non-government organisations.

What advice can you give somebody who would like to get involved in the community? There is no greater job satisfaction than to see a family recover. Contact Hennie Roux on 083417 0593 or email him on ppkrb@ zulucom.net

How do I apply for government grants and when do I qualify for them?

johnny — Thu, 17 May 2012 07:23:56 +0000

How do I apply for government grants and when do I qualify for them?

Application procedures

Qualifying requirements

Grant amounts from 1 April 2012

Contact numbers

Application procedures for a government grant:

Apply at the Sassa* office closest to the applicant’s place of residence.

If the applicant is too old or too sick to go to the office a family member or a friend may apply on behalf of the applicant.

At the Sassa office the application form will be filled in in the presence of a Sassa official.

After the application has been completed the applicant will be given a receipt.

This receipt must be kept in a safe place because it is the only proof that the applicant has made an application.

No fees are payable.

If the application is rejected the Sassa office has to supply written reasons for the rejection.

Any person has the right to request that Sassa reconsider the application within 90 days of the feedback on the first application.

Should the applicant still not be satisfied with Sassa’s feedback, he or she has the right to appeal to the Minister of Social Development.

Qualifying requirements:

Old-age pension

The applicant must be an SA citizen or a permanent resident.

The applicant must be resident in SA.

A single male must be 60 years of age or older.

A single female must be 60 years of age or older.

The spouse must comply with the requirements of the means test (see Means Test).

The applicant may not be in the care of a government institution.

The applicant may not be in receipt of another government grant.

The applicant must submit an identity document (ID) bearing a 13-digit bar code.

Disability grant

The applicant must be a SA[k1] citizen or permanent resident.

The applicant must be resident in SA.

The applicant must be between the ages of 18 and 59 years.

The applicant must submit a medical report that confirms the disability.

The medical report may not be older than three months at the time of the application.

The spouse must comply with the requirements of the means test (see Means Test).

The applicant may not be in the care of a government institution.

The applicant may not be in receipt of another government grant.

War veterans

The applicant must be a SA citizen or permanent resident.

The applicant must be resident in SA.

The applicant must be 60 years of age or older or be handicapped.

The applicant must have fought in the Second World War or the Korean War.

The spouse of the applicant must comply with the requirements of the means test (see Means Test).

The applicant may not be in the care of a government institution.

The applicant may not be in receipt of another government grant.

Foster-care grant

The applicant must be a SA citizen or permanent resident.

The foster-care status of the child must be confirmed by a court order.

The foster parent must be a SA citizen, permanent resident or refugee.

The child must live with the foster parent who is taking care of it.

The foster parent’s income is not taken into account.

Care grant

The applicant must be a SA citizen or permanent resident.

The applicant and the child must be resident in SA.

The child must be under the age of 18 years.

A medical report must confirm permanent serious disability.

The spouse of the applicant must comply with the requirements of the means test (foster parents excluded).

The care dependent may not be permanently in the care of a government institution.

Child-support grant

The primary care giver must be a SA citizen or permanent resident.

Both the applicant and the child must be resident in SA.

The applicant must be the primary care giver of the child.

The child or children must be under the age of 15 years.

The applicant and spouse must comply with the requirements of the means test.

The applicant may not apply for grants for more than six biological children.

The child may not be in the care of a government institution.

Grant-in-aid

The applicant must be in receipt of an old-age pension.

The applicant must be in receipt of a disability grant or a war-veteran’s grant and require full-time care by another person as a result of his or her physical or mental disability.

The handicapped person may not be in the care of a government institution that receives a subsidy.

All applicants for government grants must provide proof of their identity by means of an ID, or birth certificate in the case of a child.

Grant amounts from 1 April 2012

Old-age pension: R 1 200

Old-age pension older than 75 years. R 1 220

War veterans R 1 220

Disability grant R 1 200

Foster care R 770

Care grant R 1 200

Child support R 280

Contact details

Sassa Head Office, Pretoria 012 400 2000

Eastern Cape, East London 043 707 6300

Free State 051 410 8304

Gauteng 011 241 8300

KwaZulu-Natal 033 846 3300

Limpopo 015 291 7400

Mpumalanga 013 754 9380

North West 018 388 0060

Northern Cape 053 802 4900

Western Cape 021 469 0200

Sassa* stands for South African Social Security Agency. The accepted Afrikaans translation is the Suid-Afrikaanse Agentskap vir Maatskaplike Sekerheid. SASSA is a national agency of the SA Government and was established in April 2005.

Media statement: Bursary applications at Solidarity Helping Hand’s Afrikaans Bursary Institute now open

Vera-Lynne — Thu, 10 May 2012 08:08:45 +0000

Media statement

Solidarity Movement

9 May 2012

Bursary applications at Solidarity Helping Hand’s Afrikaans Bursary Institute now open

By Juanita du Preez

Applications for bursaries and interest-free bursary loans at the Afrikaans Bursary Institute opened in May.

The Afrikaans Bursary Institute was established in 2003 to offer financial support to Afrikaans students. Since then, the bursary platform has grown to 65 bursaries. This year, bursary loans to the value of R7 million were granted to 529 needy students. In total, some 2 500 have been helped already.

According to Dr Danie Brink, Chief Executive of Solidarity Helping Hand, the Afrikaans Bursary Institute is a vehicle for advancing the organisation’s policy of empowerment and upliftment through training. ‘We believe that this policy is the best way to eradicate poverty,” Brink said. ‘Helping Hand’s extensive service value chain involves a process of continual guidance that addresses spiritual, cultural and social poverty and ultimately assists in helps toddlers, children, students and the youth to get adequately equipped to enter the labour market.

This year, Helping Hand is focusing on expanding the bursary platform to give more prospective students the opportunity to undergo training that will enable them to make a contribution to the economy and their families. Helping Hand therefore appeals to individuals who are interested in setting up bursary funds to phone the organisation at 012 644 4390. The founders of a bursary fund set the criteria as to which students will be assisted and the Bursary Institute only administrates the bursary funds.

‘The bursary concept makes a big difference in many children’s lives,’ according to Dina Theron, Head of the Afrikaans Bursary Institute. ‘Individuals, who were entirely dependent on others, gain independence after they have completed their studies. Unfortunately, we had to turn away thousands of applicants owing to limited funds.’

For more information about setting up a bursary fund and getting involved in creating a better future for a young person, contact Dinah Theron at 012 644 4428 or dinah@helpendehand.co.za.

Applications for study aid for 2013 are open between 1 May and 31 October 2012. To obtain an application form, go to the website at www.helpinghandfund.co.za or contact Melani Gerber at 012 644 4428 or melani@helpendehand.co.za.

R6000 raised for bursary

Juanita — Thu, 03 May 2012 08:46:25 +0000

TALK OF THE TOWN 26 Apr 2012 Page 16

HELPING Hand Boknes held a farmers’ market and music concert which saw the community come together and enjoy some tasteful entertainment over the Easter weekend.

The event was held to raise funds for the proposed Helping Hand bursary for needy pupils or students who live in the area and need assistance with school fees, study fees or other expenses.The day started off with tables laid out with treats like curry and rice, pancakes and desserts as well as woodwork and handmade needlework. There was also a white elephant table. After the farmers’ market, Marinus van Rooyen, a young, up-and-coming singing sensation from the Eastern Cape, provided the entertainment.

A total of R10 000 is needed to set up a bursary fund and the Boknes branch is more than halfway there with R6 000 raised on the day. The team is confident they will soon reach their target. Helping Hand, an initiative of trade union Solidarity, follows a policy of upliftment and empowerment through education.

One of the projects it has focused on recently is to ensure children have a school bag when they start school. This will be extended to include school guidance, career counselling and eventually a bursary. While setting up a bursary is the branch’s main focus, it will also be overseeing a variety of projects that will benefit the community and help to break the cycle of poverty.

The branch will also see to immediate emergency relief in the area under the chairmanship of Valerie du Toit. If you would like to get involved, contact Du Toit on 082-871-3752 or e-mail vallou@vodamail.co.za

KWAZULU-NATAL: Solidarity Helping Hand Port Shepstone celebrates International Social Work Day

Juanita — Thu, 03 May 2012 07:45:01 +0000

Solidarity Helping Hand’s Port Shepstone branch celebrated Social Work Day on 20 March together with the more than 15 000 registered social workers in the country.

Social work is a specialised profession and is classified as a scarce and critical skill. The country experiences a major shortage of trained and registered social workers. It is estimated that a further 40 000 social workers are indeed needed.

“Helping Hand works closely with other social institutions to offer support for the social ills brought about by the upsurge of poverty in South Africa,” said Dr Danie Brink, Executive Head of Solidarity Helping Hand. “We are fully aware of the value dedicated social workers have for the country”.

On that day, the chairman and secretary of the Port Shepstone branch, Wynand and Joe Smith respectively, paid a courtesy visit to the local police Child Protection and Family Violence units. Members of these units were each given a cup cake, some sweets and a thank you card as a token of appreciation for the work they are doing in the community.

According to Wynand, the branch singled out these units because they do such valuable community work. “Most of the time, the work these people do is taken for granted, because often, it is believed that they are doing it simply because they are being paid to do it,” says Wynand. “In reality, the work they are doing is vital because they are responsible for the wellbeing of children who are suffering. The small token of appreciation from Helping Hand Port Shepstone should show them that there are people in the community who really appreciate them and who believe that they fulfil a crucial role in making a difference in the pain and suffering out there.”

The cup cakes were donated by Adele’s Pantry in Margate.

If you too want to become involved in the Port Shepstone branch, contact Wynand Smith on 082 925 6153.

Helping Hand is appealing to government to help create long term and sustainable solutions to the shortage of social workers and the problem of poverty in particular.

LIMPOPO: Bela-Bela reaches out to pensioners

Juanita — Thu, 03 May 2012 07:40:27 +0000

From the word go, the dynamic team of the newly established branch of Helping Hand in Bela-Bela made it their task to tackle upliftment and outreach projects for the benefit of vulnerable people in their community. Children and the elderly are very dear to branch management, and during the past six months, management has already moved mountains.

The first step was to provide support to a group of indigent elderly persons living in municipal housing in the Salus Housing Scheme. The branch helps this group of people by negotiating their extraordinary high electricity bills with the municipality. This group could also enjoy a lovely Christmas excursion to Mabalingwe during which they were truly pampered, courtesy of the Mabalingwe Game Reserve and the local Pick ŉ Pay shopping centre. To make the elderly from the Salus Scheme Part feel more special and less “forgotten”, management has taken it upon themselves to see to it that every resident receives a gift and a cake on his/her birthday.

The incredible impact these initiatives made inspired the branch to go one step further. While the pensioners in Salus may experience a lack of money, there are also those pensioners in the community at large who experience lack of company and extramural activity. The branch therefore decided to do something about social poverty in the community.

It was decided to host a monthly “food for the soul” morning at “Die Kasteel” in Bela-Bela at which guests can listen to motivational and informative talks and have the opportunity to interact with others. The first “food for the soul” event was hosted on 3 April and all pensioners in Warmbaths were invited to attend. Amelia Morgenrood of PSG Brokers addressed the audience on financial management and our own Elma van den Berg gave an inspirational talk. More than 80 pensioners attended the occasion and after the talks had a lovely time socialising thanks to the lovely spread branch management put on for them.

The Bela-Bela branch has indeed surpassed its own expectations with a wonderful initiative which, in a simple way, has a special impact on their community. While children are indeed our future, it is important to remember to honour those who made the present possible for us.

Solidarity Helping Hand and Hoërskool Waterkloof cover books at Laerskool Westerlig

Juanita — Thu, 03 May 2012 07:37:47 +0000

Solidarity Helping Hand and learners from Hoërskool Waterkloof on Wednesday managed to cover 620 school exercise books within two hours at Laerskool Westerlig in Danville.

The Grade Eight group from the high school collected rolls of plastic and sellotape as part of their community outreach project. In the end, the group collected around 350 rolls of plastic and sellotape, and with the co-operation of Helping Hand, decided to donate it to Laerskool Westerlig. However, the learners wanted to be more involved and offered to go to the school to help the learners cover their exercise books.

Many learners and former learners from Hoërskool Waterkloof, a team from AfriForum, Solidarity’s civil rights organisation and Helping Hand staff members all contributed to make the project a success.

“Helping Hand pursues a policy of upliftment through training,” says Dr Danie Brink, Solidarity Helping Hand’s Executive Director. “Training is, however, not limited to formal education, but also includes the training of people who want to become involved in the community at large, even from a young age. Therefore, the project also aims to establish the rhythm of giving and caring for your fellow human being.”

The project was a valuable experience for the Waterkloof learners. It taught them that less privileged children are a reality in their immediate vicinity. “I didn’t know that there are children who don’t have plastic to cover their books with,” one learner remarked. “You know there are children who are not as privileged as you are, but it has only now become a reality that these children are right here in our immediate vicinity.”

The group is determined to become more involved in the community in future.

Media statement: Solidarity Movement announces plan of R1 billion

Juanita — Thu, 03 May 2012 07:32:20 +0000

Media statement

Solidarity Movement

18 April 2012

Solidarity Movement announces plan of R1 billion

The Solidarity Movement announced today that it plans to plough more than R1 billion into civil society in terms of its building plan over the next three years. The plan focuses on various areas of South African society, including job protection, civil rights, social support, language and culture, education and training, research and media.

The plan will be carried out by the 18 institutions which make up the Solidarity Movement. These institutions include trade union Solidarity, AfriForum, Solidarity Helping Hand, Sol-Tech, Akademia, Kraal Publishers, the FAK, Maroela Media and various financial and development institutions.

“We believe that we will strengthen civil society in South Africa through the Solidarity Movement’s building plan. We want to create a future for our members, enabling them to live freely, safely, prosperously and sustainably in South Africa by means of a network of powerful institutions. The Solidarity Movement will also actively reach out to other civil organisations in order to protect cultural freedom, legal order, democracy and the Constitution,” Flip Buys, Executive Director of the Solidarity Movement, said.

A large portion of the plan’s budget will go towards training, which includes the construction of a new campus at a cost of R150 million where tertiary training will be offered. Die Kampus will be the home of all of the Solidarity Movement’s training initiatives. They include technical college Sol-Tech which is planning to double its capacity within the next three years and to become one of the largest colleges offering technical training in South Africa. Die Kampus will also be home to higher education institution Akademia which will offer higher education all over South Africa by means of advanced telematic technology. It is envisaged that as many as 10 000 students will attend lectures at 50 study centres.

In terms of the plan, the Solidarity Movement will also radically expand the financial support offered to students. The Movement envisages to pay out R50 million per annum in bursaries within seven years.

“We believe that you invest in the next generation by means of training and education. Through training, you not only enable the youth to determine their future, but also stimulate economic growth which is beneficial for everyone in South Africa,” Buys said.

The protection of rights is still a key facet of the Solidarity Movement’s activities. Through trade union Solidarity and civil rights organisation AfriForum, several millions of rands will be made available to protect the rights of employees and ordinary citizens. Solidarity is also envisaging the development of a comprehensive programme to protect employees’ rights in the new economy. In accordance with the building plan, AfriForum will decentralise its activities to communities and put special emphasis on municipal service delivery and community safety.

With respect to social support Solidarity Helping Hand’s capacity will also be expanded and the focus will fall on the activities of the organisation’s branches in communities. Helping Hand will concentrate on upliftment through training as opposed to upliftment through grants.

The Solidarity Movement also envisages a lot more activity in the areas of language and culture over the next three years. The FAK is planning various language-related and cultural activities and will be releasing a new songbook this year. Kraal Publishers will publish various books and Maroela Media will establish the biggest online meeting place for Afrikaans people.

Because a plan is only as strong as its intellectual depth, the Solidarity Movement’s building plan makes provision for two research institutes. They are the Solidarity Research institute, focussing on labour and civil rights, labour economy and labour relations, and the NP van Wyk Louw Research Centre, focussing on the internationally-recognised idea of cultural freedom. Further, the establishment of an international office which will liaise with international forums and South Africans living abroad is also envisaged.

The building plan will be financed through all organisations of the Solidarity Movement, as each one will be responsible for financing its part of the plan. More than 200 000 people will contribute to the plan every month. “Solidarity members give R11 for the plan’s development every month. Millions of rands for the building plan will be financed through these monthly contributions. The plan is therefore by ordinary people, for ordinary people,” Buys said.

The plan will also be financed through the Solidarity Movement’s financial and development institutions, namely the Solidarity Growth Fund, the Solidarity Financial Services Company, the Solidarity Investment Company and the Solidarity Property Company.

Read the Solidarity Movement’s building plan at www.solidaritymedia.co.za

Dirk Hermann

Deputy General Secretary: Solidarity

Cell: 082 461 8485

Work

superuser — Thu, 03 May 2012 07:19:21 +0000

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Curves helps the hungry

Juanita — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:09:44 +0000

BENONI CITY TIMES 27 Apr 2012 Page 28

Throughout March, members collected non-perishable foods at Curves Farrarmere. “Our members’ generosity is a true reflection of the Curves family’s spirit,” said the owner of Curves Farrarmere, Sahara Hamilton.

“We aimed to raise 2 000kg and we exceeded our expectations. New members also contributed to the food drive through a special promotion during March, which allowed them to join for free if they donated a bag of food, instead of paying the regular joining fee.

The food drive is a vital programme that fits in perfectly with the Curves philosophy of caring holistically for women’s health.

“We look forward to many years of giving back to the community through worthy charities,” Hamilton said.

Curves members worldwide have donated more than 27 million kilograms of food since 2004, enough to feed 1,85 million people for a week.