HOPE Africa disaster relief

Cape Town, South Africa is about to go into sub-zero temperatures as winter sets in. Every year residents in Cape Town have to endure freezing temperatures and non-stop rain from April to September and this poses a huge problem for the homeless. HOPE Africa will be using funds raised from this campaign to purchase winter blankets for homless shelters around Cape Town.

The blankets will be distributed during handover events planned to take place in May 2023. HOPE Africa is targeting two homless shelters to benefit from this initiative. For every blanket donated, there will be one less homeless resident at risk of freezing to death. 

We appreciate your generous contributions that make this work possible. Adetailed report and pictures will follow.

God bless.

HOPE Africa continues to play a pivotal role in raising awareness of gender-based violence in ACSA, with bishops, dioceses and at the local parish level. HOPE Africa has contributed to the development of tools and facilitation guides for church leaders on how to address GBV and gender justice within the church. HOPE Africa’s work has guided the following studies on the role of the church in GBV: “Sexual Violence in South Africa and the role of the Church” study in 2013, “Waiting to Speak-Survivors of sexual violence” study in 2014 and “Exploring Gender in the Anglian Church of Southern Africa” survey in 2015 have informed HOPE Africa approach to address gender dynamics and GBV in ACSA.

More recently we are partnering with Tshikululu Foundation as well as Episcopal Relief and Development in educating, raising awareness and walking alongside victims to find healing and closure from past trauma’s through telling and sharing of stories.

The Anglican Church is also partnering with other denominations through the South African Council of Churches to increase our efforts in changing of mindsets in our communities. This is done through interfaith candlelight services, marches, walks and giving people a platform to share their stories.

During this period of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence and Femicide, we donated sanitary packs which will be distributed to various shelters, Children’s Homes and survivor support groups.

The president of South Africa has declared GBVF a secondary pandemic, alongside Covid-19 in 2021. Many cases could not be reported as people were in lockdown with the perpetrators and had nowhere to turn to.

Three months after deadly floods ravaged many parts of KZN, HOPE Africa visited the communities of Marianridge and Clermont to pray with and offer support to beneficiaries adversely affected by the flooding. On 11 and 12 April, more than 400mm of rain caused havoc, causing damage to essential infrastructure, affecting more than 85 000 people and leaving more than 27 000 families without proper shelter and housing. The floods left 461 people dead and more than 87 people still missing. Three months later most of the families are still housed in school and community halls. Others are living with relatives while some families chose to remain in their dilapidated homes and structures. Many of these communities are still without running water, electricity, or ablution facilities.

The Diocese and clergy of Natal rallied around community members and are to be commended for the pastoral care that they are giving to the many communities. They were able to identify the most desperate families to receive support from HOPE Africa. With your generous and kind assistance and support we were able to provide food vouchers to 150 families in Marianridge and Clermont areas.

Beneficiaries also received blankets, clothing and food supplied by parishes of Ladismith and surrounding areas.

From our assessment, it is very clear that these communities will still need support for a very long time to come. We have therefore pledged to assist more communities and we hope that we can rely on your continued support for the people of KZN. What is also desperately needed is psychosocial support for people to heal from the dreadful event of April 2022.