Ekurhuleni Young Ambitious reaches out to help children and elders
"They are in desperate need of these supplies, and by giving back, we restore their dignity. In other cases, they use whatever materials they can find, which is unhygienic."
Ekurhuleni Young Ambitious (EYA) donated food parcels and blankets to underprivileged children from the Marathon informal settlement.
This formed part of their Women’s Month drive, which included the collection and distribution of sanitary towels for young girls.
As the month came to a close, the organisation handed over the parcels to two community elders and 13 children.
The blankets were donated to the organisation by Faizel Seedat, on behalf of the Bedfordview Muslim community, as part of their blanket and food drive.
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ActionSA councillor Mahommed Cassim was also part of the EYA initiative, contributing towards its success by handing over the food parcels.
EYA founder Njabulo Bam said distributing sanitary towels alongside food items is essential in fighting both hunger and poor hygiene.
Bam said this is one of their first collaborations since partners saw an article about the organisation in the Germiston City News (GCN).
“Many people have reached out to work with us after we were featured in the GCN,” he said.
“The beneficiaries include children who are disadvantaged and living in the informal settlement. In August, and to mark Women’s Month, we selected two women in the community to benefit from the drive as well. We also wanted to reflect on Nelson Mandela’s vision as he always prioritised the elderly and children,” Bam added.
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“Looking at the complexity of our community, we also prioritised the hygiene of our girls.
“As an organisation, we are now shifting our focus to September 25, when we will host a cultural event to celebrate Heritage Day,” said Bam.
