The communities of Pretoria North/Akasia in the very heart of the City of Tshwane, right on the edge of the vast Northern half of the city, have not escaped the ills that plague most of our country. Neither are the inhabitants shying away from their communal responsibilities.

Here several small organisations are bravely struggeling against the “giants” – the social pro-blems that faces our young, elderly, the ill, poor, handicapped, HIV/AIDS-victims, homeless, etc.

Lack of sufficient manpower, funding and facilities and other obstacles limit the effect of these inspiring groups of concernend citizens. Some ills are more thoroughly addressed than others, and not enough attention is given to long term investments in community development and the prevention of problems, rather than treating the existing ones.