Local DJ’s initiative helps renovate several homes in Eersterust
During the Covid-19 pandemic Jazzy-D planned to distribute solid foods to his local communities, Eersterust and Laudium, to ensure that families do not sleep hungry, but ended up building two homes.
What started out as a project to assist needy people in Eersterust and Laudium with food, ended up with two homes being rebuilt for residents.
The Feed a Family (FAF) initiative was started about five years ago by DJ Jazzy-D, where he fed families on Christmas day in Eersterust.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic Jazzy-D planned to distribute solid foods to his local communities, Eersterust and Laudium, to ensure that families do not sleep hungry by providing them with a meal pack,” said Miechaine Buys of the FAF team.
“These parcels last four to five days for a family of four.”
She said Jazzy-D raised funds by streaming live and hosting virtual club sessions on his Facebook page.
“He has challenged businesses and individuals to come on board with donations of any kind to assist,” she said.
“His plan was to collect as much funds as possible as he wanted the operation to run for as long as the country is under lockdown.”
She said people had to register to receive a food parcel.
“Due to the challenges faced with regard to social distancing, we had to change our strategy of handing out the food parcels after the second week,” Buys said.
“We introduced a delivery system to adhere to the social distancing protocol and delivered each food parcel to the registered beneficiary at their homes.
“Various volunteer community members offered their vehicles and time to make the deliveries.”
Buys said on the last day of deliveries Jazzy-D, who was also part of the delivery team, stumbled upon an Eersterust resident Yvonne Lottering’s inhumane living conditions.
She said Lottering was living in a shack measuring no more than 2.2mx1.7m.
“Jazzy-D said: ‘Tannie kan nie so lewe nie ons moet ‘n plan maak’,” she said.
“So more funds were raised when the live-stream went out – people from all corners of the globe responded with donations.”
Lottering’s shack was demolished and a 7mx6m structure was built, including hot running water which she never had for a number of years.
“When her home was revealed in front of her entire neighbourhood, she was surprised, amazed, humbled and in awe by the new building and uttered these words, ‘Is dit myne?’, with tears rolling down her cheeks,” she said.
Another FAF member, Jethro Moses said on the same day Lottering’s conditions were discovered, another family in the next street with eight children and a mother living in a two-roomed house was also stumbled upon.
“The children slept on a double bunk bed in the kitchen because these houses are semi-detached and the family next door were also cramped for space,” he said.
“So the FAF team decided to extend both dwellings to ease sleeping space for both families.”
He said this was completed last week Thursday, and a consecration ceremony of the new buildings was held for the two families on Friday.
“Seven houses surrounding Aunt Vonn’s house also benefited by getting a face-lift with a fresh coat of paint that was left over from the project,” he said.
“Our next project is earmarked for this Sunday, when we plan to feed 10 000 people in one day in various communities.”
Moses said the FAF initiative delivered a number of food parcels to families in South Africa during the lockdown in the following areas: Gauteng (Eesrsterust: 6 500, Johannesburg: 120, Lotus Gardens: 450 and Laudium: 1 600), KZN (Durban: 20), Estern Cape (East London: 150).
“Our motto is ‘never judge’. There are a few projects in the pipeline, but it’s totally dependent on the generosity of ordinary citizens with a giving heart.”
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