Help fill the hunger gap with The Cradle of Hope

The IWISA No.1 Fills Good campaign closes at President Hyper on March 31, and The Cradle of Hope appeals to the community to give a hand in making a difference with this community cause.

• Also read: Needy tummies filled thanks to joint outreach

The Cradle of Hope and President Hyper are encouraging consumers to make payday weekend count.

According to the premier marketing executive of IWISA, Sibongile Mooko, the campaign was launched at the end of last year and it is a CEO-driven, purpose-led initiative. It speaks directly to the brand’s commitment to investing in the communities where it operates.

“IWISA No. 1 Fills Good isn’t a traditional CSI initiative. It’s a CEO-led campaign that channels a portion of each sale from IWISA No. 1 products purchased at President Hyper directly into the heart of the community through the local NPO, The Cradle of Hope.

This makes supporting The Cradle as easy as choosing IWISA No.1 in the aisle. The impact of this choice is, however, immeasurable,” Sibongile said.

Selected as the campaign beneficiary by President Hyper, The Cradle has decided to ring-fence all donations to support a major need: The replacement of their 17-year-old vehicle dedicated to transporting beneficiaries, delivering food and supplies, and helping staff meet the day-to-day demands of their work.

“This is an essential part of the care we provide,” explains Melodie van Brakel, founder of The Cradle.

“We work on the very frontlines of poverty, unemployment, gender-based violence and homelessness. We go to places and into spaces where others don’t. This makes dependable transport critical for the work we do.”

For over 17 years, The Cradle of Hope has offered a vital safety net for the most vulnerable in Krugersdorp and the surrounding areas.

“Our response to the needs we face has always been to respond. This has seen us expand our services to include providing emergency accommodation, trauma counselling, access to food and basic hygiene, and long-term programs focused on healing, skills development and rebuilding lives – with a strong focus on women and children,” Melodie said.

Sibongile added that many NPOs are under growing pressure to do more with less, and The Cradle of Hope’s work has become even more essential.

With no government funding, organisations like The Cradle of Hope are facing rising demand for their services.

“The NPO currently assists more than 2 000 people every day, and like so many others, it relies solely on community goodwill, sponsorships and fundraising efforts to survive,” Sibongile explained.

For Sibongile, South Africa’s NPOs are the backbone of social care.

“They step into the gaps where public services can’t reach, offering support that is often the difference between life and death, despair and dignity. This is why campaigns like IWISA No.1 Fills Good are so important. From survivors of domestic violence finding safety to previously homeless individuals gaining employment, The Cradle of Hope is a testament to what’s possible when care meets action. Many of its staff are former beneficiaries themselves, now walking the journey with others from a place of deep empathy and lived experience.”