Diepsloot families receive groceries from Fourways Main Reef Rotary Club

A partnership between Fourways Main Reef Rotary Club and Pick n Pay assisted struggling families in Diepsloot with groceries

September 6, 2022

Khomotso Makgabutlane 2 minutes read

Pick n Pay CSI event manager for Gauteng and Free State Karin Ashley and Fourways Main Reef Rotary Club member Chris Thompson at the grocery handover in Diepsloot. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

Learners’ families at a Diepsloot school received a month’s worth of groceries on August 27 thanks to a local charity.

Diepsloot resident Khanyi Manqele and Fourways Main Reef Rotary Club volunteer Thabang Legadima with some of the groceries donated to residents in the area. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

As part of a project that began nine months ago thanks to the donations of two companies, Fourways Main Rotary Club headed to Akani Methodist School where families received groceries from Pick n Pay.
An overseas company had sponsored the club with R 750 000 and local grocery store Pick n Pay added R200 000 worth in products and resources.

Fourways Main Reef Rotary Club volunteers Thabang Legadima, Syntiche Mupataie, Lethabo Legadima and Chris Thompson at the grocery handover at Akani Methodist School. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

Chris Thompson has been a part of Rotary for about 28 years, and he played a big part in the handover to the Diepsloot families.

Fourways Main Reef Rotary Club public relations officer Steve Margo gives a child a sweet treat while volunteers hand out groceries to Diesploot residents. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

He said there are 150 families that have been benefitting from the club’s project. “Back when there were a lot of people who were unemployed and couldn’t get to work in lockdown, the idea was to try and make a difference in the area. We approached the school who identified families who are struggling,” he said.
“We give the same families groceries every month, so the idea was to make a difference in that family’s life consistently for six months. We got a bit more money from one sponsor so we continued it for another three months.”

Fourways Main Reef Rotary Club volunteer Syntiche Mupataie gives a young resident a chocolate. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

The handover worked in a strict ticketing system in which families were registered using IDs and were given tickets for every handover that took place.

Some of the grocery bags are ready to be given to Akani Methodist School families by Fourways Main Reef Rotary Club and Pick n Pay. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

Thompson said the club had approached the Pick n Pay in Diepsloot to see what prices they could get for the groceries. Items such as cooking oil, tinned foods and milk were added to the bag of groceries handed out. He said the store had added extra items for the families like maize meal and toilet paper.
“The nicest part that has come of this project is the connections made. We got involved with the school, made friends with Pick n Pay and they get more customers. Pick n Pay has brought their team to help with packing and handing out the groceries,” he said.

Karin Ashley, Pick n Pay CSI event manager for Gauteng and Free State, was also present at the handover with trucks and extra hands to assist in the distribution of the groceries to community members. She said they will be involved with future projects in the community including assisting in the school’s veggie garden with spinach seed packets and more to be later confirmed.