15 000 displaced people in need of urgent attention

An urgent plea has been made on behalf of the displaced during lockdown.

Managing director at Fyfe PR, Alison Fyfe-Turck said the displaced are in desperate need of urgent help. “Completely unable to eke out a living, they are now more vulnerable than ever. If we, as a nation, don’t act soon, there will be death and disaster that rivals the carnage being caused by the coronavirus.”

She said that for seven days now, Supplier Development Initiatives (SDI) Force has done an incredible job, harnessing the power of its platforms to assist the government by delivering food and hygiene products in a Covid-19-compliant manner.

Operating off an existing logistics framework created for Supplier Development Initiatives (SDI), SDI Force functions as a non-profit, emergency relief programme during this national crisis. But the fund set up to finance this is running low, and without additional funding, these efforts can’t continue for much longer.

Fyfe-Turck added that Johannesburg has 15 000 displaced people who are in need of urgent attention and initially SDI Force looked at delivering R1 000 food packs to help families over a length of time, but now the focus has shifted to creating smaller three-day relief packs.

“If we can raise the funds to deliver these then we can keep the wolf from the door. But time is running out and the situation is starting to look worrying. We can’t appeal loudly enough – we need help,” Andile Ramaphosa, SDI Force co-founder explained.

ADreach managing director and SDI co-founder Brad Fisher said there is only so much they can do without further funding. Fyfe-Turck said that both co-founders have committed their time for free, and whilst the primary focus is on providing food and sanitation; if more money is raised, then the plan is to re-train SDI micro-suppliers, like waste-pickers and cleaners, and give them the skills to be deployed as sanitising personnel. Part of this extra funding will also be channelled into homeless shelters, protective gear and warm wear to keep out the cold.

She said every delivery is done according to very strict safety criteria, fully compliant with all measures and restrictions imposed during the national lockdown.

“Time is running out. We all need to act, and we need to act now. The on-the-ground situation is critical, but SDI Force has the expertise and experience to make a difference and save lives. As South Africans, we cannot stand by and watch as our fellow citizens die of starvation. If there’s one thing that this awful virus has taught us, it’s that we are connected on so many levels, and that an injury to one is an injury to all. So please, donate urgently, and help the homeless,” Fyfe-Turck said.

Details: To contribute to Emergency Relief Items such as food packs, Covid-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), shelter, sleeping bags or apparel, please make a donation through www.unityvalues.com/sdi

For corporates to support equipment provision or repurposing of existing equipment to be Covid-compliant for micro-suppliers to do their work, please contact Laura on 083 468 3867.

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