Cape Town - You see them in doorways and alleys, curled up, trying to stay warm on the cold winter nights. Imagine yourself being homeless and hungry, in the bitter cold.
Now, Independent Media and U-turn Homeless Ministries have joined hands to make a change as the icy cold winter days approach.
The joint venture aims to create a campaign that will raise R1million to support U-turn's work.
To be part of the “A Night on the Streets” campaign, the partnership is calling on all South Africans to donate and also spend today, either sleeping outside on the streets, in their gardens or on balconies in solidarity with the homeless.
The campaign is aimed at understanding the depth of homelessness in South Africa and serves as a reminder that homelessness is not usually a matter of choice.
The chief communications officer at U-turn Homeless Ministries, Valerie Govender, explained: “Homelessness is a growing scourge in our country, and it's crucial that we come together as a community to address it.
“By experiencing even a fraction of what homeless individuals endure every night, we hope to inspire empathy, understanding and action among participants and the broader public.
“During the night on the cold pavement with just the bare minimum, participants will gain first-hand experience of the challenges faced by those living on the streets, including exposure to the elements, discomfort and vulnerability.
“Through this immersive experience, U-turn aims to foster empathy and ignite a collective commitment to raising funds to overcome homelessness,” she said.
U-turn hopes to raise much-needed funds through this campaign with a focus on blankets and canned food.
“We encourage members of the public, businesses, work teams, churches and schools to start their collections and support us by dropping off their items. A special collection point will be set up at BMW Constantia, 215 Main Road, Claremont,” Govender said.
Regional editor of Independent Media’s Cape publications Taariq Halim said homelessness has become so commonplace that people have almost become blind to it.
“But as winter approaches and more people find themselves in these circumstances, something must be done to help them and reopen our eyes to the humanness of the problem around us.”
He said U-turn and Independent Media believed that “we can all do something, no matter how small because many small things can grow into something meaningful”.
Twenty volunteers will brave the cold on Claremont Main Road today, from 6pm to 6am tomorrow, to experience the challenges that homeless people face daily.
To be part of the experience virtually, purchase a ticket for R60 via Quicket.
Visit www.homeless.org.za/nightout or contact Valerie Govender at valerie.govender@homeless.org.za for more information.