A few weeks after Chantel Sampson started assisting DPV Outreach in 2021, Streetscapes was informed that a substantial amount of government funding was being made available by National Treasury, through the Presidential Employment Programme (PEP), to the Cape Town City Council for organisations working with the homeless. Thanks to the PEP funding, Streetscapes and their partners were able to take on more people and, since November 2021, DPV residents have had the benefit of a cleaning team available full time in our area.

With the help of an assistant supervisor, Chantel’s job was expanded to cover the supervision and counselling of the new workers, helping them to open bank accounts, make contact with their families, and supporting them through health assessments and rehabilitation appointments. The cleaning team continues to be a very successful initiative. Between the third week of November 2021 and end June 2022, the team filled 1400 bags with litter and debris from gutters and pavements, grass and cuttings from open spaces and parks!