HandsandFeet was founded to protect children while helping their parents overcome drug problems, thus restoring entire families.
Cape Town, South Africa (05 January 2023) – Drug use and bad decisions lead to the breakdown of the family unit. How does one restore a dysfunctional family? By helping everyone overcome their own problems. HandsandFeet is doing this by providing an Early Childhood Development Centre (ECD) for children and social workers that help parents.
“We were seeing too many children removed from their families. Whilst we were grappling with the difficult questions we knew the answer to dysfunctional families, particularly in poor communities, doesn’t have to be government intervention. Sustainable thinking is finding the root of the problem and snuffing that out in order to bring healthy and whole families.
The question we asked ourselves was: “What is the root that needs snuffing out?”
In the community we find ourselves there is a culture of drug abuse and bad decision-making as a result. The worst part… the children are the recipients that have to deal with the blow of these decisions.”
To become a part of the solution, HandsandFeet founded its ECD centre for children from drug-plagued communities in Cape Town. The school focuses on uplifting the children. However, they not only work with young children. HandsandFeet runs an educational programme to help learners who have dropped out of school due to home circumstances get back to school. The programme helps to reintegrate them into school life.
“For the parents; we facilitate support groups and walk alongside individuals who want to be free from drugs. Our professional team of social workers and Occupational Therapists journey this road with our clients to recovery and rehabilitation. Free of drugs and bad decisions.”
Speaking to Matt Ash, who runs the organisation, we learned that the team hopes to change a life in one month. For adults, this is done by addressing their employability. The hope for the organisation going forward is to host job readiness courses which will go even further towards repairing family units.
“There is a saying which goes, “South Africa doesn’t have an unemployment problem but an unemployability problem.” Our goal is “a life changed a month.” We want to see at least one person a month either finding employment or starting a business of their own. This year our desire is to provide a job readiness course that outlines the basics of what it takes to be employable, assisting with job placements and attaching an entrepreneurship school to this.”
To continue the work they are doing through the ECD centre, Matt hopes to bring in a full-time programme manager.
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“We also desperately need entrepreneurs who are willing to give advice and run workshops for volunteers and staff members involved in this project in the coming months.”
They are working towards breaking the cycle of trauma, starting with children and working all the way up towards helping the parents thrive too.
You can find out more about HandsandFeet via the website and Facebook page as well as ways to get involved.
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