Abraham Kriel Children’s Home has started a mask for a tin initiative, where people can exchange a can of non-perishable foods for a mask.
Tammy Patterson, the spokesperson for Abraham Kriel Children’s Home, said the campaign was only launched recently, but the children’s home has received several requests for masks.
“What started as a spur-of-the-moment gesture, has quickly turned into a bustling exchange programme and within a matter of days. All it took was a Facebook post and, hours later, there was a flood of queries from members of the public asking if they could buy masks, “ she said.
She explained that the management had then decided rather exchange the face masks for a tin of food. This initiative aims to alleviate hunger by collecting and distributing the tins to households in need in Potchefstroom.
“The seed was planted when the health minister, Dr. Zweli Mkhize, recommended that everyone should wear a face mask in public, to help prevent the spread of the virus. Childcare workers came together and, with the assistance of many eager kids, made hundreds of masks for staff members and young residents alike,” she said.
The home collaborated with Potch-Tlokwe Chamber of Commerce, which supports the local municipality disaster relief project.
According to Tammy, residents have been flocking to the gates of the children’s home where masks are exchanged for tins. So far, more than 2,000 tins have been collected and 2,500 masks handed out.
“The beauty of this project is that it not only provides a way to flatten the curve through the distribution of masks but also helps feed those in all parts of the community where there is a need. The response has been overwhelming,” stated Christie Saayman, the principal of the children’s home.
For more information on the initiative, contact Tammy at 076 376 0896, tamlynpatterson@gmail.com, or visit the children’s home website: www.akriel.co.za.
