Tsogo Sun Rise against hunger this Mandela Month
SANDTON – Rise Against Hunger initiative hosts their biggest food packing event.
The volunteer-based meal packaging and results-orientated nutrition programme, Rise Against Hunger, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. In celebration of Mandela Month, Rise Against Hunger hosted their sixth meal-packaging event at Sandton Convention Centre on 12 July.
There are currently four full-time operations: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg and East London. Their focus is on reaching the most vulnerable – hungry children, specifically those who attend preschool, or early childhood development (ECD) centres.
The initiative is supported by Tsogo Sun Hotels and the Sandton Convention Centre (SCC). Tsogo Sun Hotels operations director for the Gauteng Northern regio Andrew Hosking said, “Our relationship with exceptional hunger eradication programme dates back to 2013 when Sandton Convention Centre sponsored the venue for packing of meals by thousands of volunteers.”
He continued, “Hunger has a highly detrimental effect on children’s efforts to learn; the body slows down physical and mental activities to compensate for the lack of food intake.
“Hungry children generally lose the desire to play, to study, and to take initiative. We’re proud to rise alongside Rise Against Hunger in an effort to actively combat the scourge of poverty and improve children’s chances of a better future.”
Sandton Convention Centre’s venue sponsorship for this year is to the value of R280 000. The marketing manager of the centre, Deirdre Caine-van Staden said, “Over the years, our properties have joined the campaign, making monetary donations and providing volunteers to spend 67 minutes of their day packaging meals.
“We have collaborated with quite a number of businesses within the Sandton district like Sandton Sun and Sandton City’s Garden Court. We are proud to be part of this initiative.”
Amongst the 80 volunteers from Tsogo Sun were some of South Africa’s most-loved celebrities like former Top Billing presenter, Chris Japhta who kept the team motivated by singing and whistling the entire 67 minutes. Soccer legend Lucas Radebe, actresses Didie Mokobane and Zikhona Sodlaka, 5FM DJ, Nicole da Silva and Miss SA 1997, Kerishnie Naiker were happy to lend a helping hand.
The team had fun while they packed. “It is always a good thing to assist whenever you can, wherever you are. We need to make every day a Mandela Day,” concluded Japhta.
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/221563/sandton-mediclinic-and-rise-against-hunger-partner-to-help-young-children/
