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Archive - Archive 2004 - July 2013

Family promotion body seeks financial help to build new offices |16 March 2013

Over R15 million are required for the new building, to be built on a plot of land provided by the Catholic diocese close to the St Fidèle Printing House near the Domus in Victoria.

The chief executive of the association, Rosie Denis, has said the architectural drawings of the building -- which is expected to house offices, meeting rooms, a library, among other facilities -- are being finalised. Mrs Denis said construction work will start as soon as funds become available.

She noted that the need for new facilities and space has been there for some time now but has become more pressing with the increasing public demands for the services the association provides.

The APSHF has been occupying a small office space in the Salle d’Oeuvres building since it came into being some 19 years ago.

Affiliated with the Catholic diocese, the APSHF was originally formed to continue giving advice and support to married couples facing relationship problems and other difficulties. But over the years the association has seen the services it offers increase overwhelmingly and as it relies on donations from the diocese and other benefactors for its existence and offers all its services for free, it has seen itself  renting outside facilities for its different services and counselling sessions, something it cannot afford to do.

“Having its own facilities will cut down on cost and no doubt help the association give help to more families and couples and continue to extend its different services to the community,” Mrs Denis said.

She added that with all the social ills affecting our society a lot of families are suffering and with the ongoing  national drive for social and moral renaissance, people from all walks of life are just dropping by the small their office to seek help, guidance, advice or just someone to listen to and understand them.

“We cannot turn them away and we cannot make them pay for our services, we are working for the church and our society therefore we need more space so as to be able to open our doors wider to everyone,” said Mrs Denis.

Mrs Denis pointed out that over the years different family religious movements introduced in the country and other associations formed to give support to families have been working together with the APSHF. The association also works closely with the social affairs department on different social programmes to help families, youths and other groups in the community.

“Our families, young people and society need our help and we cannot let them down. A new building to house all our services will surely be of great benefit to our families as we will be able to help more people at one time,” Mrs Denis said.

“If we are concerned about the situation of our families and want to help society eradicate social ills this is where we can make our contributions,” she said.

She said people can make their contributions by calling at the association’s Salle d’Oeuvres office, where they will get details on how to do so, and also at the different churches.

Mrs Denis said the association is also working on a fundraising programme to be launched soon.

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