When the staff of Barons N1 City in Cape Town decided to treat the beneficiaries of one of FoodBank South Africa’s agencies they never expected to find themselves the real beneficiaries of the day; the recipients of a special treat. But that’s exactly what happened when they got to spend the day at Nonceba Family Counselling Centre.
Nonceba’s is an exceptional place, providing a critical service to the victims of sexual and physical abuse in Khayelitsha, which is said to have one of the highest rates of child rape in South Africa. It is estimated that one in three children in the township experience severe sexual abuse before the age of 18. The centre – Nonceba means “sympathy” in Xhosa – has 122 beneficiaries, 100 of which are children.
It was established 11 years ago by Nocawe Mankayi following the rape of a six-year-old girl in the community. The victim’s father, who was a local policeman, shot dead the suspected perpetrator and was sentenced to a long term in prison. The incident shook the community, exposing the scourge of child rape and the desperate need for support services not only for the victims of sexual abuse but also for their family members.
Seeing the need, Nocawe stepped up to the plate. A mother of four with no formal qualification in counselling, she knew that in spite of her own burdens and limitations, she had something to give.
So Nocawe secured premises from the Students’ Health and Welfare Centres Organisation (Shawco), a non-profit organisation run by students at the University of Cape Town, and the people came in their numbers. The premises were little more than a room which she subdivided into a waiting room and a counselling room. Today, thanks to Rotary and the Jewish community in Cape Town, Noceba’s is a R5m facility, complete with a safe house for vulnerable children, a shelter for destitute women, a day clinic for the community and a crèche, where children are provided with a safe place to play and taught basic life skills to equip them to protect themselves against abuse.
FBSA is often approached by companies looking for organisations to support, usually for CSI (corporate social investment) purposes.
FBSA works closely with about 1,150 other non-profit organisations countrywide, providing them with regular food and other support. Some of these organisations are exemplary, others are fledgling, but all are doing good work and are always in need of more support and exposure.
Sometimes companies want to give resources to our agencies and sometimes they want the opportunity to engage with beneficiaries in an experiential way.
The staff of Barons N1 City wanted the latter: fun and entertainment all around. Sparing no expense, they brought in two jumping castles, face-painters, food and gifts. Naturally, the children were overjoyed, but so too were the folks from Barons who experienced the blessing that comes with giving. To give joy to a child is priceless.
Liron Enfield, who works as a sales executive in the new sales department at Barons, had this to say: “The experience was so humbling. I would like to do this on a regular basis. I learnt so much about the hardships that some children face, and it made me appreciate what I have.”
His colleague, Nomakroza “Noma” Mnengisa, who lives in nearby Macassar didn’t know about Nonceba’s centre: “I was surprised. The work they are doing is great! I decided to help not because my boss asked me to but because of the children, they are our future and we must protect them.”
On behalf of FBSA and Nonceba’s, thanks to everyone at Barons N1 City for your extravagant generosity.
