Community programme benefits needy families
A number of families have benefitted from the collaboration between Hollywoodbets and the Mbatha Lighthouse Foundation
LIMPOPO – Drop-in centres depend mostly on donations and assistance from sponsors to support and feed those in need in their communities. With the Covid-19 pandemic, many drop-in centres are unable to help those in need, because they have run out of essentials to especially feed the hungry.
Hollywoodbets identified this problem and started the Hollywoodbets My Community Programme, teaming up with Nomzamo Mbatha’s Lighthouse Foundation.
They have identified four drop-in centres across Limpopo in need and handed out food parcels to assist. Phologo Drop-in Centre in Seshego takes care of vulnerable children in the community and for the past 11 years successfully helped them with after school classes and life skills.
They have more than 60 children that they take care of. However, since the lockdown they have been struggling due to a shortage of essential supplies including food. The Hollywoodbets My Community Programme in collaboration with Nomzamo Mbatha’s Lighthouse Foundation donated food parcels to the centre worth R25 000.
These parcels will be handed out to the centre’s beneficiaries, which include children between the ages of five and 18
years.
The Director of the centre, Claudia Mothembela, thanked Hollywoodbets for the donation and continued support. “Through your donation we have been able to accomplish our goal to feed the less fortunate and continue working towards the purpose of our organisation. You have truly made a difference and we are extremely grateful.”
Another drop-in centre in the Seshego area that benefitted from the programme is the Shalate Drop-in Centre that cares for 104 orphans and vulnerable children between the age of five and 18 years. Normally they provide meals to the children on a daily basis, but with the lockdown they are struggling to do so as they rely on donations and support from the public.
To assist in their struggle, Hollywoodbets donated R20 000 to the centre, which was used to make up 49 food parcels.
Centre Manager, Dorah Semenya expressed her gratitude. “Your donation has really helped us a lot, especially during this time of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is quite a relief to our organisations because our beneficiaries are unable to support themselves. These food parcels will feed them as they are at home and unable to come to the centre,” she said.
Hollywoodbets also visited the Sephaphoshe Old Age Centre in Ga-Mothapo and donated R17 500 to the home, which was used to provide food parcels to 42 people under Sephaphoshe’s care.
The old age centre provides essential care to the elderly in the community, which include their healthcare and well-being, by doing exercises daily and giving them food. It does not end there, to keep the elderly busy, the centre has a sowing project.
Caroline Hine, the Manager, thanked Hollywoodbets and their partner for their generosity.
“We are relieved that we are able to supply these food parcels to so many of our beneficiaries that have been affected most by the pandemic. We rely on donations for the functioning of the centre and we are therefore grateful to the Hollywoodbets team,” she said.
During the Covid-19 pandemic the Hollywoodbets My Community Programme will donate to 60 NPOs and NGOs in every province across the country.
Another beneficiary is the Hlayisekani Drop-in Centre in Msiphani village. This drop-in centre cares for vulnerable children and orphans. The Hollywoodbets project donated R12 500, which was spend to put food on the table for 20 families.
Since 2009, Hlayisekani has been assisting children with their educational needs as well as providing extra-curricular help with their studies. Some of their other goals include reducing the psychosocial impact that HIV/Aids have had on children in the area as well as promoting children’s rights. They also provide food to those less fortunate.
“Hollywoodbets has a large presence in Polokwane and surrounding areas. We believe that it is important to invest back into the communities that have given us so much. Our team has been so impressed by each of these organisations respectively and what they are doing to help their beneficiaries. It is their hard work that is helping to create a better future for many people living in the areas. For many organisations it was the basic needs that required urgent attention, so we chose to assist them in this way by making sure they have access to these essential food parcels. It warms our hearts to know that these beneficiaries will not be going hungry now,” said George Maekanya, Hollywoodbets Regional Manager for Limpopo.
