World Homeless Day, which takes place annually on 10 October, raises awareness of what it means to be destitute or homeless, while providing opportunities for communities and businesses to assist and serve, says the duo.

According to MES and Jozi My Jozi, throughout the month of October, various organisations across the city are working together to address the plight of people in desperate living conditions.

Leona Pienaar, CEO of MES, highlights the critical role of systemic change in addressing homelessness. 

"We've been operating for the past 38 years, with our head office in Hillbrow and additional projects in Gqeberha, Cape Town and Kempton Park. We are passionate about building thriving urban communities where access to efficient pathways out of homelessness and poverty is a reality," says Pienaar.  

"Homelessness is a complex issue with deep-rooted causes, including trauma, mental health, LGBTQ+ rejection, addiction and reintegration challenges for those coming out of prison. It's not just about losing a house or contact with your family — it's a multifaceted crisis," adds Pienaar. 

MES has launched a campaign titled 'First Walk in My Shoes' to break misconceptions surrounding homelessness, with the primary goal being to challenge and dispel preconceived notions about homelessness and the circumstances leading to it, says the duo.

The campaign theme aims to foster an understanding of deep-seated issues driving homelessness in the city and across South Africa while debunking myths, sharing solutions and urging the public to walk a mile in the shoes of those living on the streets, adds the duo.

"We are calling on the public to partner with us on this campaign through a National Shoe Drive, which runs from Monday, 7 October to Sunday, 20 October. We are sure there are many people who have a pair of shoes or two that they don't wear — we are asking them to consider donating these gently used or new pairs of shoes by dropping them off at any of our MES branches," says Pienaar.

"There's a misconception about who becomes homeless," Pienaar adds. "One social media user said, 'Every South African is two steps away from homelessness.' If you lose connection with your support structure and the ability to earn an income, your chances of becoming homeless rise significantly."

Addressing a key concern, Pienaar says, "We urge the public not to give cash to individuals on the streets. During our study in Cape Town, we found that homeless people earn about R55 a day."

"This money often flows into the wrong hands, such as drug lords, rather than contributing to their rehabilitation. Instead, we encourage people to use our Mi-Change universal voucher systems, a joint venture between MES and U-turn, which helps connect the homeless with the services they need to move off the streets," adds Pienaar. 

Dean Weil, who represents Jozi My Jozi's Social Engagement pillar, says that the organisation's strategy is to support the city's homeless population, in collaboration with strategic partners and organisations such as MES, together with City of Joburg.

"Jozi My Jozi, alongside our strategic partners, is working to provide infrastructural and technological support to organisations that serve the homeless. We are currently surveying potential sites across the city that could be suitable to create safe spaces and homeless centres, to implement a strategy that makes homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring," says Weil. 

Weil also highlights the critical role of technology and data-gathering as integral elements of their approach. 

"Using technology, we are building a citywide database to collate and process data from multiple institutions. This data will give us crucial insights into the current state of homelessness within the inner city and enable us to measure the effectiveness of our projects," says Weil

"By understanding the challenges better — and the task at hand — we will be in a position to start making more impactful, meaningful and sustainable changes around the many complex issues related to homelessness," adds Weil. 

The duo concludes that World Homeless Day is an annual day observed globally on 10 October that aims to raise awareness about homelessness, celebrate all the good work being done, and advocate for better policies and funding to end this crucial social issue.

For more information, visit www.jozimyjozi.com. You can also follow Jozi My Jozi on Facebook, X, or on Instagram. 

*Image courtesy of contributor