Just R200 brings relief to Nkomazi families
The Covid-19 lockdown has forced many families to the end of their rope, with no means of income, having to scrounge and forage for food and resources. This is especially true for Nkomazi, which is bordered by Mozambique and Swaziland.
For an increasing number of families in Nkomazi, the stress of finding food is being relieved by the RCL FOODS-registered NPO, the DO MORE FOUNDATION.
The Foundation has a two-pronged response to Covid-19: firstly to provide vulnerable households with essential food, and secondly to provide parents and caregivers with support.
Given that its founder, RCL FOODS, has a strong presence in Nkomazi with its sugar operations and has for some time been involved in a ground-breaking early childhood development initiative in the two most impoverished wards of Nkomazi, this was an obvious area for the foundation to focus on.
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The foundation is calling on all businesses and individuals to support its fundraising initiative, where all funds raised go directly to the procurement of food at cost from RCL FOODS. Should you wish to participate in this initiative, which has already seen over five tons of food provided for food packs across Mpumalanga, you can go to the foundation website and follow the links: www.domore.org.za.
As a Nkomazi-specific initiative, the foundation has composed a food hamper that consists of basic foodstuffs, which is able to provide a family of four with enough food to help sustain them for up to a month. Each hamper can provide up to 250 meals of basic foods. When issued, a variety of fruit and vegetables sourced from local farmers is added, as available.
The project was designed to assist those that fall through the safety nets provided by the government, and have no other recourse for obtaining food in the absence of work.
Any person or organisation can support the Nkomazi-specific cause by donating R200 for each hamper. This pays for the contents. Such contributions can be made to the DO MORE FOUNDATION from anywhere in the world. All funds received by the foundation that are correctly referenced for Nkomazi are routed specifically to this region.
Mariette Preddy, a part-time municipal councillor in Nkomazi, facilitates distribution on behalf of the foundation. She has teamed up with Amanda de Swart (social services coordinator for the Malelane CPF) and other individuals and organisations across various Nkomazi towns to maximize effectiveness in getting aid to the people that truly need it.
“Every food parcel helps,” Preddy stated. “We have had people burst out in tears at receiving hampers. Equally sadly, we always encounter more people that are in dire straits, with hunger visible on their faces.”
She confirmed that the farming community had been helping with fruit and vegetables, increasing food parcels to around 30 kilograms in weight.
The public can get involved by visiting the RCL FOODS Farm Stall at the Sugar Mill outside of Malalane. Here one can make a donation, which immediately makes a bucket available for a needy family. Alternatively, online payments can be made at domore.org.za/2020/04/21/domorefeeding-in-nkomazi/.
The DO MORE FOUNDATION serves South Africa countrywide.
To contribute to efforts in other parts of the country during these times, please visit domore.org.za/2020/04/04/help-us-domorefeeding/ to learn more or make a donation.
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