Two hundred senior citizens from across the province converge at the East London International Convention Centre on 28 to 29 October 2024. The group attended the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development’s first annual two-day Older Persons Conference.

Older persons account for over a million citizens of the Eastern Cape population, and they face various challenges that threaten their rights and well-being. Through this groundbreaking conference the department amongst other things seeks to promote the rights of older persons, enhance their quality of life and create a discussion space for older persons to ventilate on issues affecting their daily lives. Additionally, the conference served as a platform to acknowledge the role older persons play in keeping families together and passing on valuable knowledge and skills to younger generations.

Nosipho Gcaza a 70-year-old widow from Nyandeni Local Municipality thanked the department for the initiative as she will take back what she learned at the conference to her fellow villagers. “There’s a lot of information I will report back for the benefit of my people, particularly the SASSA input” said Gcaza.

Speaking to attendees Honorable MEC Bukiwe Fanta reiterated the department’s commitment to the improvement of social wellbeing, prolonged life span, care and protection of older persons against any form of abuse through establishment of support structures. Furthermore, she encouraged older persons to participate in local older persons forums that are meant to advance their cause and afford them an opportunity to share their lived experiences. “Older persons forums must stand up and protect older persons as they are an extension of government in dealing with their challenges” concluded Fanta.

One of the Department funded Non-Profit Organisation, Sakhe Family Care (SFC), based in Humansdorp in the Eastern Cape, recently released their debut short film which highlights various social chellenges hoping to promote positive social and behavioral changes in within the youth and families at large in that area.

Sakhe Family Care Development Center offers marriage enrichment seminars, parenting skills workshops, educational community awareness campaigns, social and behavior change programs, skills training, job creation and enterprise development opportunities. Established in 2014, the organization has developed into a safe, inspiring and life-changing environment for both individuals and families.

To continue their work in the community, the organization recently released their first debut short film titled “ITHEMBA”. SFC founding director, Thanduxolo Buka says the vision behind the film is to act out what they teach learners in schools through their social behavioral programme. He says the organization is implementing an amassed range of Social Behavioral Progamme to address the risky behaviours and harmful social norms that are significant. The short film also highlights the key role that the organization plays in the community. Buka says the short film was written by two young people from Humansdorp and who are currently studying Bachelor of Arts at AFDA in Gqeberha. He says the film is based on a young man who has lost his mother and starts to experience behavioural changes that have been caused by his new environment. “We plan to develop the short film into a show with more episodes, where we will focus on other programmes that we offer. By doing this, our intention is to showcase what we do as an organisation and putting more emphasis on Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).

Buka says they hope to shoot more episodes if they get funding for this initiative. “We continue to increase our efforts to extend our reach and transform the lives of many in our society.” Buka says the public is able to watch the film on their Youtube channe and they are also planning on doing a roadshow around the province to showcase their production

The Department of Social Development in collaboration with the Health and Welfare Sector Education Training Authority (HWSETA), recognised and honoured 312 Community Development Practitioner in a graduation ceremony that was held in East London.

The cohort benefited from a training and skills development partnership that targeted community development practitioners as well as assistant community development practitioners with relevant experience in community development but lacked qualification. On completion of the training participants received an NQF level 5 certificate in community development.

Community Development Practitioners play a significant role of improving the lives of poor and vulnerable communities through the provision of adequate services. Most beneficiaries of such services reside in impoverished rural and township communities who depend largely on community development programmes, including, but not limited to community dialogues, counselling, care, and support.

One of the graduates, Nandi Ntuli, from Sarah Baartman District, who has been unemployed for a decade before joining the programme, said, the qualification means a lot to her. “I have been unemployed for a period of ten (10) years. When this opportunity was presented, I grabbed it with both hands, knowing very well what it would do for me.” Ntuli says the Sarah Baartman District has an escalating rate of social ills, HIV/AIDS, and substance abuse. She says a collaborative approach with youth, parents and communities needs to be strengthened to decrease these social ills.

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said the department is committed in encouraging communities to participate in their own development. She said the department is strategically placed to advance the aspirations of the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalised group. “Given high levels of unemployment in the country which affects many South Africans, this ceremony will increase graduates’ chances of improving their lives and advance their career development through the acquired certificates”.

Other stakeholders who are part of this the RPL, include the HWSETA, Education Training Development Practice Sector Education Training Authority (ETDPSETA), and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) such as the universities of Western Cape, Free State and Johannesburg. Its primary purpose is to recognise the Community Development Practitioners who passed their Community Development Practice at NQF Level 5 at institutions of higher learning.

Nkosinathi Foundation of and for the Blind and Partially Sighted People in Gqeberha in Eastern Cape (EC), has consistently grown to become the biggest service provider to blind and partially sighted people in the Eastern Cape.

The Non Profit Organistaion (NPO), supported by the Department of Social Development, was founded by a group of dedicated blind people, who recognised the need for rehabilitation and adaptive skills services, as well as support for those who have recently lost their eyesight. The objective of the foundation, which has 1141 beneficiaries around the EC, is to raise awareness on eye care conditions and the importance of early intervention and also to raise awareness of resources available to blind and partially sighted people.

The foundation offers a wide range of services to blind and partially sighted people. One of those programmes is Employment Readiness Programme, supported by Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) with a duration of 10 months, where beneficiaries are taught Computer training, Braile Literacy training, CV writing skills, Job Interview Skills, Communication Skills at workplace and Adapted Computer Software skills. The trainees receive a monthly stipend of R2500 a month.

They also offer Blind Children Rehabilitation and Development programme to children between 0-7 years. This programme offers Hospital and Home visits to parents and children, counselling and suppport to parents, adapted daily living skills training and mobility training for children.

Loyiso Seyese, a partially blind Rehabilitation Consultant at the foundation and has been with the foundation for more than a decade, says they want to fully intergrate blind and partially sighted people to society. “The programmes we offer are specifically designed to accommodate our beneficiaries in such a manner that when they are fully independent, they be able to function and be not excluded due to their disability.” He says they not only support the blind and partially sighted, they also offer a hand to parents. “ We have a Bona Bantu Bag Skills Programme, where we teach parents (both sighted and visually impaired) of visually impaired children, sewing and entrepreneurial skills needed to begin their own sewing business. We offer them hand and sewing machine skills, personal finance management skills, Business basics, Introduction to Social Media for Business and Introduction to computers with adaptive software