Obslife, Mar 2011

HETTIE Marais, a long-time homeless inhabitant of Observatory, also known as Anita, wept for joy when she held her own ID book in her hands for the first time in her life.

“This (is) the reason why I love this job so much,” writes Kenneth Roman, the Observatory Improvement District’s (OBSID) field worker for the homeless, in his first annual report.

Hettie’s story is one of several highlights in Kenneth’s overview of the period from 1 December 2009 to 30 November 2010. Another story is that of Baba Tshazibana, 36, and his son Ayavuya, 2, who were found destitute on the streets of Observatory. Baba had come from East London to look for Ayavuya, whose mother had fallen into a life of addiction in Sea Point. He found Ayavuya after days of searching, but had run out of resources to return home.

On the same night Kenneth found them, they boarded a bus back home to the Eastern Cape with a ticket sponsored by OBSID.

Baba has meanwhile found employment and plans to finish his nursing qualification soon, reports Kenneth.

The report also describes the frustrating side of working with the homeless. According to the report, a total of 69 homeless people were persuaded off the streets and placed in shelters. Twenty eight were reunited with their families, but 29 returned to the streets.

Kenneth reported three deaths among the homeless in the year under review, two of whom he had helped before they succumbed to TB and cancer respectively.

Kenneth, who started formal social-work studies this month with the support of the OBSID, sees as his main challenge this year his work among the remaining “resident” street people in Observatory, who number about 35 and who all refuse rehabilitation.

He expects to have more success among the  new arrivals on the streets of Observatory this year.

In his report he point to the need for a  family shelter for the homeless and job opportunities for street people.

His plans for the year include:

• Increased focus on helping the homeless to access IDs and social grants.
• Increased focus on family reunifications, and fund-raising for toiletry packs so that they can return home with confidence.
• Sensitivity training workshops for Vetus Schola patrollers.
• Building collaboration with field workers from adjacent areas.
• Employment opportunities for the homeless.

The report calls on Observatory residents to rather work through organisations that support the homeless rather than give cash or hand-outs to the homeless.