The need for food is still real
NORWOOD – A Build Back Better programme is in progress to support beneficiaries with upskilling and self-sustenance.
The need for giving emergency food relief has not gone away despite parts of the economy reopening.
The Norwood, Orange Grove and Houghton Community Action Network (Noah Can) has realised this as they continue to provide for those in need.
In their recent food distribution at the Paterson Park Precinct hall, Noah Can coordinator Emily Wellman said the City had granted them permission to distribute from the hall which was safer and more spacious.
“Most of our recipients are informal workers, traders or come from businesses which didn’t survive the lockdown. The hunger is very real. We give vegetables, maize meal, tinned protein, sanitary pads and sanitisers. Bellies must be full but it must also be healthy food that is nutritious for the body,” Wellman said.
She added that the other advantage to using the hall was that they could now conduct their Build Back Better work. This campaign includes little workshops safely under Covid-19; teaching recipients to work with a small budget and start their own little business like selling vetkoek on the pavement.
“We want to start a sewing hub where we’re thinking of manufacturing local reusable sanitary pads and we want our community neighbours to sew them. Then we can sell them while the sewers get income. We will donate some of the pads so that learners don’t have to worry about period poverty for at least three years. That will uplift the whole community.”
She said they would consider partnerships with for instance; natural leaders in the community who don’t represent politics so they can help identify community challenges at street level. Other proposed partnerships would be with the local Community Police Forum (CPF) to get the parks safer as well as working with schools to tackle drug abuse.
“Handing out food parcels while necessary now, won’t go away but we’ve got to find a way to get people off the list of needing food parcels. We’re all unpaid volunteers who do this because we care about our neighbours and our area.”
Volunteer Julie Machin expressed the Can’s gratitude for the support from anonymous residents, local shops such as Pick n Pay Norwood, Super Sconto and SPAR Norwood who all helped with trolley drives. Pick n Pay Louis Botha and St Luke’s Norwood also helped with homeless vouchers. The Unwrapped Co has a pantry goods donation section on their website where people can donate. She added that they also source the vegie parcels from local female farmers.
Katie Stubbs who is also a volunteer added, “We have schoolchildren who come and do community work so they put together these rice, lentils and barley packages. Norwood Pharmacy has a little basket where people can donate sanitary pads.”
Details: Follow the Noah Can on Facebook www.facebook.com/NOAHCommunityAN/
Share your community project by email to naidines@caxton.co.za
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