In a year marked by natural disasters and economic strain, U-turn, a leading non-profit organisation focused on the rehabilitation and reintegration of people experiencing homelessness, continued to make profound strides in restoring dignity to those on the margins of society.
According to its 2024-’25 annual report, U-turn served 2 636 individuals across its various programmes, provided 73 846 meals and offered 13 340 emergency safe-space night beds along with 15 825 transitional housing night beds.
This holistic support network is anchored in their multi-step process that includes change readiness, rehab support, work readiness and eventual independent reintegration.
Despite facing a 52% decline in government funding and a 16% drop in contributions from trusts and foundations U-turn managed to grow its operating income by 5%, thanks in part to a remarkable 119% increase in other private and public donations.
Self-generated income made up 45% of its financial inflow, while 55% came from donations.
This balance allowed the organisation to invest R4,8 million in stipends for programme participants, referred to as “champs”, who together clocked an impressive 237 832 hours of paid work experience.
The organisation responded to Cape Town’s devastating winter floods by doubling shelter capacity through partnerships with Christ Church Kenilworth and the Church of the Holy Spirit.
This emergency response housed 70 individuals in Claremont and 27 more at Christ Church, showcasing U-turn’s ability to rapidly mobilise in times of crisis.
Jean-Ray Knighton-Fitt, CEO of U-turn, described the organisation’s progress as “driven by the impact of our programmes, which restore dignity and reintegrate individuals as productive members of society. Our work is not just about shelter; it’s about dignity, purpose and transformation.”
Stories of personal transformation lie at the heart of the report, none more striking than that of Elecia Rix, a single mother once forced to sleep under staircases and in drug dens.
Rix joined U-turn’s programme after being referred by a soup kitchen.
She embraced the rehabilitation and life-skills training offered and, after graduating in 2019, rose through the ranks within the organisation. Today she is the programme administrator of U-turn’s Cape Town CBD operations.
“With the right support lives can be transformed and hope can be restored,” said Rix.
Among the 260 people who participated in the work readiness programme this past year, 49 graduated sober, employed and housed, marking a 158% increase from the previous year.
These “champs” are not only building new futures for themselves but also reshaping public perceptions of homelessness through events such as the “Night on the Streets” campaign, hosted in partnership with BMW Constantia, which raised more than R800 000 and challenged participants to spend a night outside to understand homelessness better.
U-turn also expanded its national footprint, opening new service centres in Strand and Cape Town’s CBD in collaboration with The Hope Exchange as well as launching new charity shops in Gauteng.
The November launch of The Table Café, a social enterprise offering job training in a real-world setting, exemplified the creative partnerships U-turn was cultivating to provide employment opportunities for formerly homeless individuals.
Recognition of its work extended globally, as U-turn was named a finalist in the 2024 .ORG Impact Awards in the Hunger & Poverty category.
The organisation also hosted its third annual Homelessness Symposium in Cape Town and a debut event in Johannesburg, platforms that brought sector leaders such as MES and Streetscapes together to discuss collaborative strategies.
Alistair Philander, chair of U-turn’s board, said the organisation’s work is evidence that transformation is possible.
“We are reshaping the narrative of homelessness through consistency, collaboration and compassion.”
Even with the backdrop of rising expenses, including a 36% increase in social enterprise costs, U-turn ended the financial year with a modest surplus and a renewed commitment to its mission. Its model not only provides immediate relief, but lays out a pathway to lasting change, one story, one meal and one job at a time.
As U-turn prepares for the year ahead, including another Night on the Streets event and the expansion of their Mi-change voucher system, U turn is adamant that even in the face of hardship hope remains a powerful force, and the NPO is determined to keep delivering it.
