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For nearly 60 years, Sisters Incorporated has harboured, secured and nurtured women and children from troubled realities, riddled with trauma and abuse, back to stable and fulfilling lives, and now the public benefit organisation (PBO) seeks sustainable support for the future.
For nearly 60 years, Sisters Incorporated has harboured, secured and nurtured women and children from troubled realities, riddled with trauma and abuse, back to stable and fulfilling lives, and now the public benefit organisation (PBO) seeks sustainable support for the future.
Based in Kenilworth, Sisters Incorporated is a fortress of safety for women and their children from across the Southern Suburbs, its manager Delene Roberts said.
The PBO has served 1 120 vulnerable individuals over the past 10 years and currently serves 20 women and eight children.
“We wish to keep Sisters Incorporated financially sustainable, with services that are ongoing in the short and long term,” said Roberts. “As we ‘weather the storm’ it’s not simply about saving sisters or keeping the doors open but about harnessing the power of the wind to draw communities, seeking help from several quarters – for example, corporates – to help break generational, historical cycles of gender-based violence (GBV) down.”
She also told of being informed by the Department of Social Development that the government will be reducing funding to NPOs providing essential social services for the next year. “Presently, the department funds only 37% of our budget. We are responsible for raising the rest of the funds to meet our full budget required.”
Sisters Inc provides 24/7 professional residential care for 28 survivors of GBV at any given time per its registration, adding that it is “a big Family indeed”. Its operational costs are estimated at R295 000 per month.
Roberts says the reduction of 37% from the government will probably have a drastic impact on the organisation’s services.
“Last year, we provided services and care to 112 survivors,” she said, “considering there are currently 13 staff members, including a qualified social worker and two social auxiliary workers. Our budget is therefore quite sizeable, which enables us to provide the best possible care to meet all the needs of our clients and maintain a safe and healthy environment.”
Despite predating partnerships with short-term insurance giant Santam, Lotto, and Hollywood Community Foundation, among other entities, she indicated the funding environment remained highly inconsistent “and for all the other prospective donors, such as Santam, we have to apply, and it really depends on their resources as well as their priorities for the year and whether our applications are successful.”
The present fundraising environment is said to be extremely challenging, considering that in South Africa the needs requiring support from government and diverse donor sectors remain high. “Considering our weak economy and the consistent rising cost of living, fundraising has become very challenging,” Roberts said, “what with many, many NPOs seeking the same resources, a funding environment Sisters Inc is not divorced.”
What makes matters worse, she added, is that “GBV unfortunately appears to be losing focus in the light of all the other areas of need. This being an election year also adds to the challenges as government reorganises its funding priorities. At our annual strategic planning meeting held on Wednesday 24 January, our priority was an in-depth review of our financial situation, present and future.
“We review our financials on monthly at board and exco meetings, and it did not come as a surprise that we are presently in a crisis.”
Roberts mentioned that all board members are specialised volunteers.
Sisters Inc is compelled to take proactive steps until the end of March this year.
“The impact of the cost of living has had drastic effects on our day-to-day services – for example, food, water, electricity, security, maintenance. We strive to keep high standards, which is conducive to the well-being and safety of our clients, so we are consistently at our limit of 28 GBV survivors.
To reach out to the Sisters’ plight in their time of need, call Delene on 021 797 4191 or visit https://sisters.org.za/donate/.
