By Muhammad Bham
31:08:2022

South Africa’s first wash bus for the homeless is set to launch on Friday. The colourful bus is called Nina Manzi with four hot water showers and four toilets divided between males and females. There is a 15-minute limit per person, and users are provided with soap, a towel, a face cloth and skin cream.

The bus does require a connection to water, sewerage, and electricity.

Speaking to Radio Islam, Nina Manzis’ Project manager, Sisanda Henda, said that the project originated from the significant increase in homeless people over recent years. Research was then carried out to ascertain the challenges they were facing daily, and the top challenge was that they didn’t have access to clean water and couldn’t practice basic hygiene.

The project is a collaboration between Viva Con Agua, U-Turn and Baz-Art.

Viva Con Agua is an organisation all about increasing access to clean water and basic hygiene, and this is done through various projects for vulnerable populations and under-resourced communities. The organisation is constantly pushing for greater access to water.

U-Turn works to remove homeless people from the streets and runs a series of projects and programs that empower them to reintegrate into society.

Baz-Art is instrumental in the creative side of the art portrayed on the bus by various artists.

To participate in the program, homeless people require a voucher they would earn by participating in the U-Turn programs. These include activities from basic administration to assisting with running kitchens or other various cleaning projects within the community.

Using this method ensures that people learn to earn and stop promoting an attitude of entitlement.

An alternative means to access the Nina Manzi initiative is for a member of the public to purchase a voucher through the “My Change Voucher” and then gift a coupon to a deserving person. Hopefully, this will encourage the homeless to begin their journey of returning to society.

The cost of the voucher is set at R12, but this will apply only to those purchasing to gift. A homeless or indigent person will have to “work” to earn a voucher.

As many battle substance abuse and other social ills, Henda said that U-Turn preferred having the homeless give their time and commitment to ensure the successful project. But she stressed that they had no obligation to participate in the other programs.

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