Settlers’ elderly and disabled kids enjoy visit from UK charities
Representatives from Food for Thought UK, Al Imdaad Foundation UK and Al Imdaad Foundation SA visited Natal Settlers Homes last week.
OVERSEAS visitors treated elderly residents and disabled children at Natal Settlers Homes last week.
Representatives from Food for Thought UK, Al Imdaad Foundation UK and Al Imdaad Foundation SA visited the home on Thursday and served the elderly at Coronation House a cooked breakfast and handed out goodie bags to the disabled children at the home. The organisations have also pledged eight JoJo water tanks for the property in Umbilo.
Shamim Patel from Food for Thought said the organisation was started in the UK to provide hot meals to those in need. The organisation is independently run and is funded by the public and receives support from the Al Imdaad Foundation UK.
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“Charity begins at home and we have worked in the UK for five years. For our fifth anniversary we decided to expand out of the UK and were informed by the Al Imdaad Foundation of the great need in South Africa in relation to water, hygiene and social support in homes such as Natal Settlers,” she said.
Shamim is an occupational therapist by occupation and said the visit to the children at the home was an eye opener. She said she would love to get involved to help with their therapy and to support the children.
“The visit has been an eye opening experience. I feel we can learn a lot from each other. I hope to get a few programmes together for the home to try implement change, and with the support of the Al Imdaad Foundation SA and UK we will try make a difference, no matter how small,” she said.
Abdussamad Mulla from Al Imdaad Foundation UK said the organisation started in South Africa 15 years ago and had a branch in the UK for the past eight years. The organisation is involved in disaster relief and does work in 75 countries. He said along with the support to Natal Settlers Homes and the donation of water tanks, a few feeding programmes were held in Escourt and a borehole was built in a rural community struggling to obtain clean water.
“In working together there is no limit to what we can do in striving to serve the community,” said Abed Karim from the Al Imdaad Foundation SA office.
