Initiative donates foods to local learners
“Today is the day of happiness to me because this means a lot to my family and we know that not all families can afford."
Onions & All a restaurant in Pimville together with Richu Trading Enterprise and Nhlanhla Tshabalala Foundation (NTF), visited Mdelwa Hlongwane Primary School on Friday to donate food parcels to 12 learners.
This was part of an initiative that began on Mandela day in July whereby various businesses came together with an idea of bettering their community.
These donations were not based on learners or the school, but on families that are child headed or depend on social grant. These children were selected by the ladies that work in the feeding scheme because they are aware of each learner’s needs.
The sad realities on black communities are that majority of homes are child headed. While these children depend on the school nutrition programme
to feed them, after school there is nothing to eat at home.
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Sibongile Nhlapo, a representative from Onions & All said, “We did not choose a school because we are not donating towards the school but towards a family. NTF works with child headed homes where he sees the gap and we needed a foundation that has already verted the families in need.”
Emotions of gratitude and appreciation were portrayed by the families that received these food parcels. Donations and charity drives may sometimes be seen as overrated, but they go a long way for those families that sometimes go to bed hungry and still hoping for a better tomorrow.
“Today is the day of happiness to me because this means a lot to my family and we know that not all families can afford.
“Sometimes you wake up in the morning and have nothing to make for your children and food is expensive.
“We reality appreciate to see that God still thinks of us,” said Vathiswa Zwedala one of the recipients if the food parcels.
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Private companies coming together to fight against social ills and alleviate poverty continues to give hope to South Africans especially in the townships.
“We are companies led by people and for people. We interact with the people. We are closer to the ground and almost every day we see the needs of the people in our communities. So, if the government is not doing its job, we the private sector need to come in for our customers,” Nhlapo concluded.
