The Adonis Musati Project was named after a young Zimbabwean who died of starvation on the streets of Cape Town while waiting to get his asylum papers

The Adonis Musati Project was named after a young Zimbabwean who died of starvation on the streets of Cape Town while waiting to get his asylum papers. This organisation formed at the end of 2007 in order to ensure that no refugee died of starvation ever again in Cape Town.

Africa has many countries that are either in conflict or have economic situations that are so dire that people are forced to migrate in order to survive. A lot of refugees eventually make their way to the southern most tip of Africa. In South Africa, instead of the relief they had hoped to receive, they face many problems the least of which include persecution, oppression and xenophobia and the worst, rape and death. The majority of these refugees are from Zimbabwe, where since the year 2000 the political and resultant economic situation has deteriorated to an unprecedented degree, due to the devastating rule of the tyrant, Robert Mugabe and his party Zanu PF. However there are also refugees flocking from other impoverished countries whose poverty, suffering and struggles are often overshadowed by Zimbabwe's crises. These countries include Burundi, the DRC, Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, Somalia and Tanzania.

In South Africa there is very little assistance given by the government for refugees. In fact they often face hostility from government officials. Therefore the little help that they get comes from existing NGOs and NPOs. Before the Adonis Musati Project was formed, there was no NGO or NPO that ensured that the refugees queuing for their papers received some form of nourishment on a daily basis.

The Adonis Musati Project has been granted NPO status. Our official NPO number is 068633NPO.

PROJECT ACHIEVEMENTS:

All Adonis Musati Project committee members are volunteers with jobs, family or study commitments. All storage facilities, places of distribution, telephone and computer facilities, and transport costs have been provided by the volunteers themselves at no cost to the organisation. Even a large amount of the funding has come from the volunteers themselves. Some large and small donations from caring individuals and groups have been of enormous assistance and have gone directly to the refugees themselves.

From November 2007 until June 2008, the Adonis Musati Project fed hundreds of refugees a hot meal several times a week. Hundreds of bags of second-hand clothing have been distributed, as well as thousands of blankets and sleeping bags. At Christmas time, hundreds of well-stocked toiletry bags were distributed, and since then toiletries have been handed out as they have been available. Many refugees have been assisted with transport to hospital, associated costs and basic medicines. Thousands of train and bus tickets have been purchased for refugees needing to renew their asylum papers in Nyanga + for those needing to get to job interviews etc. Some refugees have been assisted with transport to Zimbabwe to go and bury loved ones and comfort their families. Phone cards have been purchased from time to time to help refugees make contact with their families back home.

Adonis Musati Project volunteers have personally helped every refugee who has asked for a Curriculum Vitae to be made in order to find a job. This involves the compilation, typing up and printing of the Curriculum Vitae. Thousands of Curriculum Vitae's have been compiled for refugees.

In the 1st half of 2008, the Adonis Musati Project helped hundreds of refugees find accommodation in low-cost warehouses, shelters, flats and houses and paid for one to two month's of their rent. The Adonis Musati Project also provided some basic foodstuffs for these people so that they would not starve whilst finding a job. For the vast majority of these people, there is a tangible difference in them once they have the restored dignity and security of a roof over their heads. They are able to more easily seek employment and then take over their rentals. The aim is to help the refugees to become self sufficient so that we can then lend our support to other individuals and in the end help more people.

The Adonis Musati Project has also given financial assistance to many refugees for training in security, hospitality, sea faring, computer skills and driving This includes all the equipment or other needs that accompany the training for example safety boots, overalls, registration and admin fees, books and manuals and medicals just to name a few.

During the Xenophobic attacks in May 2008, hundreds of refugees were transported by Adonis Musati Project volunteers to the various camps in the Peninsula. Buses and taxis were also hired by the Adonis Musati Project to assist them with transport to and from the camps.

At present 800 sandwiches are being made and about 300 pieces of fruit donated by Adonis Musati volunteers each week. This is to supplement the hot meals that are now temporarily being provided on some days of the week by another refugee organisation. The sandwiches and fruit are provided at no cost to Adonis Musati Project funding as the volunteers involved purchase the bread and make the sandwiches themselves.

PROJECT NEEDS:

The Adonis Musati Project always desperately needs to raise funds in order to continue with this day to day provision of basic needs. An essential goal is to acquire a local building that will provide shelter for refugees who sleep and live on the streets. The Adonis Musati Project would also like to initiate "self-help" training projects where the refugees could learn entrepreneurial skills in order to start up their own small businesses.

Volunteers are always needed to:


· supply food

· transport goods

· collect and sort clothes

· provide blankets

· make “easy to make” sleeping bags (materials provided)

· distribute sandwiches etc in the CBD

· assist with job seeking

· assist those in need of medical help

· resource accommodation in the town/Woodstock/Salt River and nearby areas

· help with administrative functions

· raise funds



If you are available to help with any of the above then please contact Gayle who will incorporate you into our rosters.

http://www.adonismusatiproject.org/