Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Caring for the KwaZulu-Natal community, The Newcastillian – Online News presents your free copy of The PEOPLE Feature – Page 2.
The purpose of the feature is to showcase various personalities who play a significant role in Newcastillian’s lives, influencing positive upliftment and change throughout parts of KwaZulu-Natal. Yet, for the most part, they rarely receive the public acknowledgment they so deserve. Therefore, in honour of our credo, “To uplift, inform and inspire,” join us in celebrating; Sables Creatures and Freedom Communities.
Ballito-based Sables Creatures, a pro-life animal rescue organisation founded in June 2012 by Seema Duwrakah, has never wavered in its quest to aid homeless, abused and neglected animals. Jointly the group successfully assists impoverished pet owners in caring for their four-legged family members.
The areas the organisation focuses on face extreme financial hardship, whereby people struggle to meet even their basic needs, let alone the requirements of their animals—resulting in most pets at times having to eat out of the trash heaps or roam the streets in search of food and water.
As veterans in the world of animal care, the organisation places immense effort into treating the sick animals as well as spaying them, mass vaccinations, deworming, feeding, and providing kennels, as the animals often have no shelter from the weather.
Chatting with Deanne Allen of the Ballito-based charity organisation, we learn just how deep the commitment runs at Sables Creatures.
Deanne highlights that the organisation also rescues neglected or unwanted pets and tries to find them loving homes in addition to the aforementioned. They also perform emergency rescues, from saving a pup stuck in a storm drain to kittens rescued from the ceiling of a broken-down building or a dog caught in a trap. “We also put animals into foster care, and all this requires are caring individuals who are willing to provide a loving home to an animal in need. Through the foster care initiative, we have seen puppies being adopted after a day and adult dogs finding their forever home after a year.”
It should be noted that Sables Creatures covers the necessary costs during the foster period, including food and the pricy veterinary bills. This is all achieved through the generosity of sponsors and fundraising campaigns.
Helping all creatures, big and small, there is an enormous need to assist, rescue and rehabilitate, provide medical care and sterilise. With this in mind, Deanne states, Sables Creatures are fortunate in that they have three vets who help them greatly, namely Ballito Vets, Aloe Veterinary Clinic based in Ballito, and The Ridge Vet based in Umhlanga.
Despite making a massive impact on the lives of countless animals, Deanne explains that Sables Creatures is currently facing a significant problem. Due to the pandemic, the organisation has had to postpone two fundraising initiatives. As a result, the welfare organisation has temporarily closed its doors in an attempt to get its vet bills down.
Therefore, the time has come for people to rise to the occasion and help animals in dire need of your assistance. Deanne emphasises that this can be done by volunteering to foster an animal as it finds itself on the path of rehabilitation.
Alternatively, with Nelson Mandela International Day set to take place on 18 July 2021, you can donate R67 to Sables Creatures or a bag of dog or cat food to the organisation. For more information on how to assist Sables Creatures, be sure to contact them via email at sablescreatures@gmail.com or Deanne Allen on 082 326 4499.
Drawing our attention to our second charity, Freedom Communities, which focuses on alleviating the obstacles the less fortunate face daily—we meet four pastors within the Groutville area driven by more than just commitment to their community.
Freedom Communities looks after child-headed homes, widows, the sick, and the elderly. Additionally, the community-based initiative focuses on trying to enrich and empower their community to provide for themselves.
Pastor Patrick Bilai elaborates by explaining that Freedom Communities is currently running a series of programs dedicated to uplifting the Groutville community. “One of the programs we are running is a leadership initiative, where we look at creating leaders among the men within the community.”
While assisting men in becoming better future leaders within their respective communities, Bilai adds that this is not necessarily enough for the less fortunate to reach their full potential. Therefore, he states, “We are trying to empower people to become more self-reliant. Currently, we have a number of women involved in projects where they make bags, then we have young men involved in carpentry and other women involved in upholstery.”
These formerly disadvantaged people are empowered to learn how to make a series of products and then sell them for money through these projects. This sees them not only learning new skills within their lives but earning an income as well. Despite the COVID-19 regulations hindering groups of people from meeting together, the initiative has been such a success. Many of them work from their homes, ensuring they remain proactive and focused.
Creating a culture of self-sustainability, Freedom Communities also looks after those who cannot care for themselves—including catering for between 200 to 300 children, many of which, are orphans.
However, Freedom Communities does require a substantial amount of assistance from the community and not always in the financial sense. Bilai elaborates, “We had a physiotherapist visit us, and she helped teach some of the children English, so any outside support will be appreciated.”
To get involved, be sure to contact Pastor Patrick Bilai on 062 818 9109 or via email at patrickbilai8@gmail.com
Former South African President Nelson Mandela once said, “It is in your hands, to make a better world for all who live in it.” So the question now stands, will you open your hands to those in need?
Look out for the next PEOPLE feature, whereby we make those famous, who truly deserve it.
Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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