Phola Director’s Speech at Department of Social Development (DSD) Vehicle Handover Event
The Executive Director of Phola, Ncazelo Mlilo officially spoke on behalf of nonprofit organizations in Gauteng during Social Development MEC Morokane Mosuyoe official handover of purchased vehicles.
The event took place on 27 October at Wembley Stadium. A substantial portion of the stadium was used by participating organizations to display their branded cars, courtesy of DSD grants. The Phola vehicle was selected as the “best branded car” was on the main display pad. Among the audience were senior government officials and various stakeholders.
Two staff members were with the Phola Director at the vehicle handover ceremony. In her speech the Phola Director Ncazelo Mlilo applauded the Department of Social Development’s gesture of allocating vehicles to nonprofit organizations collaborating with various communities and providing critical services which ranged from victim empowerment, substance abuse, and psycho-social support and poverty alleviation interventions.
Below is her address to the audience:
“On behalf of NPOs that have received support from DSD, with the provision of vehicles, we want to say a BIG THANK YOU.
We collaborate with vulnerable communities and groups that we need to reach consistently. Our work requires that we travel to and from the communities that we serve.
Before we got DSD vehicle, Phola had an old bus that constantly broke down. This meant high maintenance, lost man hours and disruption in service delivery. Thanks to DSD and national government, we now move around with great confidence and ease without any apprehensions or unnecessary delays. We use our immaculate Avanza (proudly donated by DSD) to transport our mobile counselling trailer to different sites in Diepsloot, Cosmo city and Zandspruit. We are also able to transport clients from point A to B.
It has increased access to services for our clients. For this we are grateful to government, particularly DSD.
I would also like to mention that our partnership with DSD has been an amazing and fulfilling experience. You supported, nurtured, encouraged, capacitated, mentored, guided, resourced, and helped us to realize our dreams and vision to compliment efforts of the government in provision of mental health services, psycho-social support and other ancillary services needed by vulnerable communities.
The provision of these vehicles is a testimony to all this. We cried out for help you heard us. It is in our hands now to be the best that we can be. In our work and interactions with communities that we serve. The feedback and support that we receive propels us forward and enables us to be effective foot soldiers.
Once more thank you DSD for your leadership and wise counsel. We appreciate your great care and consideration of vulnerable people and groups that we work with and among.”
She concluded her speech by remarking, “On behalf of all nonprofit organizations assembled here and witnessing this momentous occasion I appreciate the strong and smart partnership existing between DSD and nonprofit organizations doing sterling community work for the needy, vulnerable, and marginalized amongst us. Hopefully, this bond will endure forever.”
