Local humanitarian aid organisation and homeless people hold candle-lighting prayer event
ALEXANDRA– NPO said the vigil was a brainchild of addicts who wanted to make their voice heard and convey a message of hope to all those who suffered abuse at the hands of men.
Ulwazi Home Caring non-profit organisation and homeless people in Alexandra recently hosted a candlelight night vigil to pray and pledge their support in the fight against the scourge of gender-based violence.
The organisation that was formed by Kuki Mokoena provides daily meals to the homeless and nyaope drug addicts for almost a decade in the area.
Mokoena said the candle-lighting prayer vigil was a brainchild of the homeless who wanted to make their voice heard and convey a message of hope to all those who suffered abuse at the hands of men.”I feed homeless people every day from the little I have and through food parcel donations I receive from a local bakery.
“I also help those with drugs addiction problem to go through a rehabilitation process if they want to get out of the trap. Most of them are very informed of what is happening in the community. They asked me to arrange a prayer event in which they want to pledge their support in the fight against gender-based violence.”
The 28-year-old Gabetswe Kgafela who is addicted to nyaope and who has been living in the streets of Alex for two years said they hosted the candle-lighting event because they too want to be part of a solution and fight against women and children abuse. “People should know that we are human beings too, not amaphara as they always refer to us.
“Everything that happens in the community and society at large affects us. The scourge of gender-based violence is something that has landed many of us on the streets. People don’t understand what we’ve been through. The only thing they do is to judge without the knowledge of how we found ourselves trapped in addiction. We call upon our fellow brothers to stop abusing women and children.”
Mokoena appealed to all community-based organisations, government institutions and businesses to lend a helping hand to those who find themselves stuck in their addiction habit.
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