By Edwin Tshivhidzo
Pretoria – The National Lotteries Board (NLB) has distributed cheques to the value of R4 million to three women-owned charity organisations.
The distribution is part of the R450 million approved by the NLB for distribution to charity organisations throughout the country this financial year.
The distribution was made as follows: R2 091 000 was given to the Dream Team Foundation, ran by Julia Mashele; R462 000 to Woman against Rape and R1.5 million to People Opposing Women Abuse.
Speaking at the handover on Tuesday, NLB Chief Executive Officer Charlotte Mampane said the NLB is faced with the inevitable task of choosing one charity or beneficiary over another.
Mampane said although they are faced with challenges, the organisation is doing a good job.
She said the NLB does its best to allocate grants to as many organisations as possible across the country.
“The NGO sector in South Africa is vast and covers an ecosystem that has no less than 100 000 registered organisations,” she said.
According to Mampane, to date, the NLB has disbursed nearly R450 million to qualifying beneficiaries.
The distribution per annum is divided between charities, which accounts for 45% of the total amount disbursed.
“Today, the NLB is pleased to be handing over grants to organisations that are led by women. South Africa has one of the best constitutions in the world. The benefits of that legal document are not yet felt quite as wide as we would like to see,” Mampane said.
She encouraged other charity organisations to send their applications for funds.
“As from October, we will be going out there to see what communities are doing. We will be encouraging them to make applications,” she said.
The Dream Team Foundation’s Mashele told SAnews that she is pleased with the funding.
“This is going to assist us in getting all we need,” she said.
Through her charity organisation, which is situated in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, Mashele assists parolees and ex-convicts by teaching them various skills to enable them to survive once they have completed their sentences.
Mashele explained that the purpose of establishing the charity organisation is to rehabilitate them and encourage them not to turn to crime again.
Among other things, Mashele also teaches women to write, study poetry and vegetable planting.
Janine Rowley, from Women against Rape, said the funding will go a long way in assisting rape survivors.
Women against Rape encourages all South Africans to know that their bodies and spirits are sacred. Rowley said through her organisation, they assist abused women with their court cases, among other things.
South Africa marks Women's Month in August. – SAnews.gov.za
