Highway NPO packs bags filled with love

A MASSIVE pledge received from the LEGO Foundation in August came at the right time to boost Zero2Five’s nutrition programme. The Highway-based non-profit organisation continues to bring relief programmes to thousands of children affected by the July social unrest and the ongoing effects of Covid-19.

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Julika Falconer of Zero2Five said the unrest had a direct impact on most Early Childhood Development centres with regards to the cost and availability of food.

“The July unrest has exacerbated an already critical situation in terms of extremely high levels of food insecurity due to Covid-19 lockdowns, inaccessibility of National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) meals, high levels of unemployment and widespread poverty, especially in the rural areas in the four KZN districts Zero2Five serves.

“The Covid-19 pandemic is not just crushing under-resourced, fragile health systems, it is attacking the way children access their education, the way their families earn an income to cover their immediate needs, and how safe they feel in their homes, communities, and countries alike,” said Falconer.

She noted that sponsorship from the LEGO Foundation will boost the NPOs nutrition programme with an additional 1.2 million breakfasts over six months.

In addition, Durban’s Victor Daitz Foundation came on board to send 3 500 children home with a 5kg bag of highly fortified breakfast porridge. The Solon Foundation strengthened the Zero2Five team and funded extra salaries for the six-month campaign and Willowton Oils ensured that soap was added to the donation. Marriott Investment Managers added much-needed extra protein in form of peanut butter jars.

Zero2Five co-tenants on the leafy Bellevue Campus in Kloof helped store and pack no less than 30 tons of food items and packed the same in a big CSI event into 1 750 super solid shopper bags from Durban-based Uzwelo Bags, recycled from PET bottles. The balance of 1 750 bags was packed by the Winterton SuperSPAR as its contribution to the outreach initiative.

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