The all-new Homeless Hub in Observatory opened its doors last week to make basic services more accessible to the homeless in Cape Town.
The centre’s mission is to assist the homeless with anything from basic needs to medical services and legal aid, where once a week, legal practitioners will come around to offer legal advice.
Carlos Mesquita, Managing Director of Rehoming Collective and the founder of the Homeless Hub, says he lived on the street for several years and this inspired him to open the hub.
“A lot of the things at the hub deal with what I had to go through on the streets.
“Even if we are not able to provide all the services, we will make that accessible to them,” he says.
The hub, which is run from the Rainbow House and YMCA Observatory, offers people on the street services including emergency accommodation, while teaching them practical skills that will see them getting paid for their work.
Added to the hub is also a space launched for a special sewing project where everything sewn will be donated to the homeless.
Other skills include beading and carpentry.
The Hub is being staffed by 25 homeless people who will now not only be receiving a salary but also accommodation, says Carlos.
“The Homeless Hub will not only be a drop-in centre for homeless people to access services as diverse as food, IDs, legal advice and a safe place to store their important belongings, but it will also be where homeless people will be able to learn skills to uplift and empower themselves through employment.”
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