Nine-hundred people have been left homeless after a fire raged through the Pomona informal settlement in Kempton Park, destroying two-hundred shacks in the process.
Kempton Park, Johannesburg – Nine-hundred lives were changed by a blazing fire on Monday evening at the Pomona informal settlement. Two-hundred shacks were destroyed, leaving those nine-hundred people homeless and destitute.
On Tuesday morning, the 1st of October, Ruan Ferreira started a group to organise donations for the informal settlement. The entire group rallied and collected thousands of contributions to help the impoverished community. They quickly arranged for the Kempton Park Primary School to be a collection point for clothes, food and other donations and the main point for distributions is the NG Church Bonaero Park on 32 Malpensa Ave.
The way people stepped forward to offer assistance is genuinely inspiring.
Animal Welfare
The Animal Guardians (TAG) collected funds to assist all the animals that were now in their care. They collected food and went out into the veld every day to try and catch the dogs that were running around. The Kempton Park SPCA stepped forward to assist with vaccinations and sterilisations of all the animals rescued from the fire. Both organisations will be keeping the animals safe until their families have rebuilt and can take them in.
Both organisations will incur costs for the duration of the animals’ stay so if you would like to assist them; you can contact the Kempton Park SPCA here and The Animal Guardians here.
Donations
The group set up by Ruan started to buzz, and people started coming forward with the most incredible contributions. People on the group contacted Albany and Pick n Pay and managed to get 700 loaves of bread and 20kgs of Jam and Peanut Butter to feed the residents.
The food donations started rolling in, and meals for the community began being planned. Tins of baby formula were sent in, and every single resident was thought of.
Bedding and clothing also started arriving at the school and were sorted into different sexes, sizes and ages.
They were also given a safe place to sleep.
There will be many more people who step forward to offer assistance if you would like to do something to help the community. You can find drop off points below.
Any donations (Blankets, clothes and non-perishable foods) can be dropped off at:
- Forever Young 233 Monument rd
- Kempton Park Primary corner Monument and Highveld Rd will be a collection point for clothes, food etc. Office hours 07:30 to 14:00
- The Wool Shoppe – 22 De Wiekus Road, Van Riebeeck Park is a drop-off point for any food, utensils, clothing, blankets following the dreadful fire that took place tonight (30 Sept) at the Great North Informal Settlement.
- 32 Malpensa, NG Church Bonaero Park
- Pascal’s in Woodbridge.
- Gateway church next to Maranatha church.
by 