Community Can Challenge reaches finish line on first door-to-door delivery

Mbombela community members, Morné Green and Harshil Mitha made their first door-to-door deliveries with the donations they have received thus far from their Community Can Challenge.

Green recently completed a 45-kilometre run on his home balcony, after which Mitha asked him a question: “How many steps did you take? ‘Cause it must be a lot.

“He said 49 902, so I said ‘Why don’t we get 49 902 cans?’ Raise that as our first target for the challenge. And now we’re here,” said Mitha.

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It evolved, however, from just cans to many other donations from the wider community.

The Community Can Challenge provided cans, Chemicorp Barberton sponsored hand sanitisers, Farmers Trust Johannesburg sponsored grapes and apples, Joubert en Seuns sponsored naartjies, Halls sponsored avocados, 5kg maize meal and booklets in siSwati with information on the Covid-19 coronavirus.

The first round of donations, which took place throughout the duration of Friday morning, were delivered to members of the Woodhouse, Hopeville, Phumlani and Matsafeni communities.

Ward 14 provided contact details as well as ID numbers to ensure the right people were reached. Ward councillor, Kenneth Mkhonto, was also present. He and his staff, as well as some community members, guided the deliveries through the communities and to the right houses.

The initiative has received numerous requests for help, and hopes to assist in as many places as possible.

Green said their goal is to reach the set number of cans. “That’s the challenge, but we can’t do it alone. We need everyone’s help.” He mentioned that Audi Nelspruit has already begun challenging other businesses and that’s exactly what they need.

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Despite the main can goal, they said they would definitely collaborate with anyone who wanted to provide anything else. “We’re not going to say no if someone says ‘Listen, we’ve got 100 bags of maize meal for you’. Don’t think we won’t accept that,” said Green.

They have set up a website, called connectingcommunities.co.za.

Mitha said, “Everyone is so focused on their own households at the moment. It’s a big change. Everyone is uncertain, but what we want to try and achieve is to get people to connect communities – whether it’s business communities or individuals. To get people to think about others and I think we’ve started achieving that.

“We’ve had enquiries from all over from Cape Town, from KZN. We’ve had contributions from all over the country, all over the world – Australia, New Zealand, England. So we can see our communities are getting connected, but once again, we can’t do it alone.  We need other businesses to come on board and any contribution will make a difference, because there are people in very dire situations.”

And they don’t plan on stopping when the Covid-19 crisis reaches its end. They have many plans in the works to assist communities when all of this is over. They want to be the organisation people can turn to when they wonder “Where/How can I get involved?”

Mitha concluded by bringing it back to Green’s balcony run. “He didn’t run and then stop for two or three hours and then do it again in the evening. It was an endurance race. Like that race, we want to continue our momentum and even speed it up.”

“We can see how people are in need and once we reach one target, there’s going to be another. Whether Morné runs another 50km or whether I cycle another 100km, there will be another target so we can continue the momentum.”

At the moment they have about 2 800 cans. Some were distributed on Friday and the rest will be handed out on Monday.

For now, collection bins are available at Crossing and The Grove SUPERSPARs.

Cash donations can be deposited into Penreach‘s bank account.