GALLERY: Kitchen revamp gives Kya Sand community a big boost
KYA SAND – Life Tree Co is appealing to more local businesses to assist with donations to help residents.
Life Tree Company, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), feed about 150 residents from Kya Sand informal settlement on a daily basis.
These residents are the most vulnerable in the area including the elderly, pensioners, children from child-headed households and orphanages.
On 1 July the newly revamped kitchen was officially opened at Juda Africa after Life Tree Co sought assistance from various businesses who donated various items to revamp the kitchen.
Various organisations from the gas industry donated items which were used to revamp the kitchen and make it more efficient. These items include the new kitchen basins, as well as a gas stove and water heater which were securely installed.
Kevin Robertson, CEO of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Association of Southern Africa (LPGSASA) felt the need to assist. Robertson said he was approached by the NGO and given the work that this organisation was doing to help the community he felt obliged to assist.
He then sent out requests to various organisations including VEC Power and Wassaa, who assisted with different items, given the nature of their businesses. “The response from various organisations was overwhelming,” he said.
“We helped them rearrange their kitchen and ensured that it was safe, given the fact that they use gas stoves to cook,” he said.
LPGSASA also offered one member from the settlement an opportunity to learn more about the industry. They also donated R5 000 cash to the organisation.
Carla-Lee Kamp from the Life Tree Co said a meal offered to the residents costs them about R25 a day. “We started with 20 people a week and now we feed about 860 people a week,” she said.
To cut the cost and ensure that residents continue to benefit from this feeding scheme, about 16 beneficiaries were allocated space to plant their own vegetables.
Although they sell the vegetables to sustain themselves, about 10 percent is given to the kitchen to keep the feeding scheme operating.
“We still need more support from the local business people, especially with the kitchen utilities such as pots and shelving for storage,” she explained.
Details: Life Tree Co, 082 680 9671.
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