Philanthropist and businessman Solly Krok aims to alleviate hunger
He added that he was blessed to be healthy and fit, despite never being sporty during his youth.
Well-known businessman, philanthropist and co-founder of the Apartheid Museum, Solly Krok believes that self-sustainability is the first step towards creating a ‘vaccine for hunger’.
The 91-year-old walked a total of 91km at the launch of his Keep the Wolf from the Door initiative, aimed at alleviating the heightened hunger in communities which was exacerbated by the coronavirus.
Speaking to Krok in his Hyde Park home, he said he was challenged by group chief executive at Discovery, Adrian Gore to take up the challenge of walking 91km in the lead up to his 91st birthday in an effort to raise funds for the needy.
“On my first day out, I wondered how I would ever finish, but then I realised that if I take one step at a time, I can visualise my goal and achieve it. Whatever you do, do it one day at a time – slowly,” said Krok.
He added that he was blessed to be healthy and fit, despite never being sporty during his youth.
“Every 10 seconds, a child dies from hunger and malnutrition worldwide. Starvation is a huge epidemic in our world – one that is even greater than the coronavirus.”
Inspired by the proverb, ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime’, Krok joined forces with established organisations Afrika Tikkun and Siyakhana to support worthwhile existing projects with the funds raised.
Over the past three months, the initiative has distributed 4 200 food parcels to vulnerable families.
Through the support of the Siyakhana organisation, they have seen many individuals in marginalised communities develop sustainable food gardens and become entrepreneurs.
Donations from as little as R30 to hundreds of thousands of rands have powered the initiatives to new heights. Fundraising will continue to sustain these much-needed projects over the next three years.
“I want to make people aware of the problem of hunger and malnutrition and create a culture of giving when they buy.”
Giving insight into the state of the country at the start of October, Krok said three factors were necessary to combat unemployment. According to him, factories must be moved to where people live, secondly, the country must stop importing products that can be manufactured in South Africa, and thirdly, people must be trained to create home industries in the townships.
