As winter settles in, blanket and clothing drives for the homeless are picking up speed. A new project in Cape Town is taking helping the homeless a step further by reducing waste and providing employment opportunities.

Street Sleeper repurposes old PVC billboards (a material that cannot be recycled) and turns them into sleeping bags that can double as backpacks during the day. These sturdy sleeping bags are created with the help of homeless and unemployed people, providing an employment opportunity – and protection from the harsh winds and rains that lash the Cape during the winter. They’re large enough to store clothing and other items in while someone is sleeping inside, and they fold up to double as a backpack, during the day.

The pilot project is currently run from The Service Dining Room in Canterbury Street in Cape Town and there are plans in place to extend the network in the future.

If you’d like to assist Street Sleeper, all it takes from you is a R150 donation to help create a sleeping bag. This can be done by credit card or EFT. Simply log onto its site and follow the instructions.

For more on Street Sleeper, email , or follow them on and .