R1 million lifeline for Cape Town NGOs this winter

CAPE TOWN - The Department of Community, Arts and Culture in Cape Town is expected to give some NGOs in the city a lifeline worth R1 million this winter.

The funds will be earmarked for helping selected shelters by distributing essentials such as blankets, mattresses, food items, hygiene items and cleaning aids. 

Through the initiative, NGOs will bolster their capacity to help those living on the street during the colder period.

Spokesperson from Uturn Homeless Ministries Stephen Underwood said, "One of the things that's tough is not just the exposure to the elements but it is the effect that that has physically on your body, our clients often struggle with medical conditions which are either caused by or exacerbated by the cold especially if folk have tuberculosis or they're living with HIV, their condition deteriorates in the cold weather because of the immune system drops.”

Underwood added that many people coming to shelters have medical conditions exacerbated by the cold.

"Clients also tend to make fires to try and stay warm and can sometimes burn themselves and issues like that so there are a lot of medical conditions that we see from our clients we have to refer them to local clinics for treatment because other than providing basic first aid we can't do significant medical work on sight.”