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The Manenberg House
Two people renovating a house in Manenberg, Cape Town, for those coming out of gangs and drugs.
We are
Pete and Sarah Portal – two ordinary people with an exciting plan. We are part
of a project called ‘Fusion’, working to help
gangsters and drug addicts find hope and healing, by offering an alternative
community to be part of.
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We have bought a house in Manenberg, an area
of Cape Town that we love, but is known for gangs, violence and drugs. This campaign is to raise
funds to renovate the house, inside and out, so that we can live in it together
with friends of ours who need help getting out of gangs and off drugs.
We want to
contribute to the breaking down of social walls in Cape Town by cultivating
family in a community that seems to have lost belief in itself, where addiction ravages lives and where gang wars are a regular occurrence.
Since
we started planning this campaign, we've had a bullet through our office window, many people have been shot and four have been
killed in a Manenberg gang war.
The
renovating of The Manenberg House will contribute to the bigger picture of
Fusion’s daily intervention on the ground in Manenberg. Along with a daily
program offering counseling, addiction step work, support groups and one on one
mentoring, Fusion is opening a bakery in order to offer employment to
ex-addicts and gangsters. But we need a safe place for them to sleep at night.
By
giving to this campaign, you’re directly sowing into the vision of the only
Manenberg-based NGO working specifically with its most dangerous demographic.
It’s not far-fetched to say the success of this campaign could save lives.
Yes, we
believe in top-down solutions. But we also believe in bottom-up initiatives.
Margaret Mead (a Social Anthropologist) put it well when she said: “Never doubt
that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has… Never depend upon institutions or
government to solve any problem. All social movements are founded by, guided
by, motivated and seen through by the passion of individuals.”
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The Works
We have consulted a structural engineer, an
architect, a plumber and a building contractor to help us settle on a realistic
quote for renovations.
The amount we need is GBP24,800.
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Breaking it down
Where's the GBP24,800 going? The money will be spent as follows:
- Make the
house secure (walls, gates and burglar bars)
- Re-do the
roof
- Overhaul
guttering and drainage
- Plaster and
paint outside and inside walls
- Put in four
bathrooms and two kitchens
- Replace
flooring
- Replace
shoddy plumbing and put in two new geysers
- Move and
remove internal walls
- Pave the yard
- Construct a
purpose-built 24/7 prayer room
- Architect’s
fees
We’ve got perks to suit everyone! From GBP2 to
GBP6,000 – take your pick. Each perk has been designed with a specific
goal in mind: to establish a heart connection between you and Manenberg.
Whatever we manage to raise will go directly
into renovation costs. Of course we’d love to raise the full amount - and if you help us exceed this, we’ll
pump all additional funds into the daily running costs of Fusion.
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New Ground
The fact is, this has never been done before in Manenberg - so by giving to our campaign, you'll be a valuable part of helping the pioneering Fusion team make more significant inroads into the lives of high risk youth. Prisons and criminal records wont change Manenberg - but we believe that a family of families pursuing healing and wholeness just might make a significant difference.
We've seen friends get clean from heroin and crystal meth, we've helped them find vocational and volunteering opportunities, and have even had some stay in our homes. But we've seen others relapse time and again. There's scope for much greater success, and we believe The Manenberg House is a significant step towards this.
Other Ways You Can Help
Whether you are able to give money or not, please SHARE SHARE SHARE this campaign far and wide!
And if you're based in Cape Town, do get in touch - there are plenty of ways to help!
For further information you can contact us at:
pete@fusionmanenberg.org.za
sarah@fusionmanenberg.org.za
