Our Programs

Project

Recyclable Sleeping Bag Project

Stakeholders

The Recyclable Sleeping Bag Project is a collaborative effort between Changing Lives™ and the Department of Correctional Services.

The Department of Correctional Services is supplying free labour and the physical infrastructure required, whilst Changing Lives™, through donations and sponsorships, is providing all the necessary raw materials required for the production of the sleeping bags.

Vision

The vision of the project is to produce low cost plastic sleeping bags made from fully recyclable materials, which are then supplied to people living on the street and those living in poor quality dwellings (destitute).

Project Description

The socio- and economic situation within Gauteng portrays a huge gap between those who can afford to secure their basic needs such as shelter and those who cannot. Harsh environmental conditions in Gauteng actually makes living conditions much more difficult for this economic group. The destitute and homeless are mainly found either living in poor quality dwellings or living on the streets, in parks or at undeveloped sites within residential areas.

The partnership between Changing Lives™ and Leeukop Correctional Centre (Department of Correctional Services) realised that it is virtually impossible to provide this group of people with proper shelter. Based upon the latter, the initiative to produce recyclable sleeping bags was born in an effort to provide them with a basic form of shelter.

These sleeping bags are manufactured by utilising newspapers, durable industrial plastic and packing tape. The motivation behind utilising these materials is that it is durable, hygienic, water resistant, lightweight and portable, heat generating, has insulating qualities and provides wind breaking capabilities.

Young offenders from Leeukop Correctional Centre aged between 21 – 25 years old are utilised to manufacture the sleeping bags. In addition to the social upliftment aspect, the intention is also to improve the skills development level of offenders. This project is the perfect point of departure to assist them in learning the responsibility of providing support to other people without expecting rewards. It further teaches young offenders the value of respect as well as the plight of people socially marginalised. As a therapeutic process it manifests the sense of having purpose and being of value to other human beings. This facilitates easy management of offenders in the correctional centre, with rehabilitation at the core of the activities.

Assistance Required

We would appreciate any assistance in the provision of the following:

• Newspapers (the larger the page size the better);
• Packaging tape;
• Industrial strength plastic sheeting (1mm thickness with a length of 1.7m and a width of 1m); and
• Financial donations to purchase the above raw materials.

The contact details of the persons involved with this project are as follows:

Mr. George Rudman - Director

Telephone - +27 11 431 3633
Mobile No - +27 82 990 2445
E-mail address - george@changinglives.org.za

Mr. Gary Pickford - Director

Telephone - +27 11 431 3633
Mobile no - +27 82 568 7174
E-mail address - gary@changinglives.org.za

Mrs. Vanessa Rudman - Project Administrator

Telephone - +27 11 431 3633
Mobile no - +27 82 808 8999
E-mail address - vanessa@changinglives.org.za

Should you have any queries in terms of the above, please do not hesitate to contact us on info@changinglives.org.za