The spirit of Ubuntu is a daily norm during these trying times of the world pandemic. The Urban Rural Development and Capacity Building Project together with the Food Forward SA has helped Langa residents with over 300 food parcels at the Rental Office in Langa on Tuesday morning.
Nompumelelo Ngoqo, who is the director of the project, said they have been cooking for the community since 2000. She said she requested from FoodBank that next time they should sponsor with food vouchers instead of food parcels because it gives the beneficiaries a choice to buy the groceries they’re more likely to eat.
“We cook for unemployed people who are referred by Clinics and Social workers to us, we develop the people and equip them with different skills so that can start their own businesses or be employable. This is not a soup kitchen but a targeted feeding kitchen which targets the people who are seriously in need of food. Once we’ve helped the person with skills and helped them better their lives, with the help of Public Works we transfer them to another course where they get a stipend for the jobs that they do with skills they’ve received at the centre”.
“We have also partnered with Social Development, IDT and Public Works for these parcels. This is a very special parcel because it is very healthy and has a variety of foods, plus there are sanitary pads to help with kids who cannot afford because schools are closed.”
Nompumelelo said the project has helped push the youth to reach their dreams and go back to school.
“We have one of the youngsters who worked here in the garden during school holidays. He would dedicate his time to help out wherever he could. He is now a university of Western Cape student who is doing his second year in law with skills that he received here”.
The 71-year-old said according to their plans for this year, as a credited non profit organisation, they were supposed to have a mega celebration of their 20 years of existence but due to Covid-19 and Lockdown they couldn’t. I am thankful and grateful to my team, they always have my back in everything that I do, I would also like to thank the sponsors” she added.
Nomonde Tsobekile who has been out of work for the past four weeks said she and her daughter were grateful for the assistance.
“I’m here with my daughter who is in University but struggling to study because we don’t have resources like laptops and data for online learning. I appreciate this parcel. It will atleast make a difference. I’m also grateful for the sanitary pads we got, because it gets tough when they finish before the next month begins”.
“This will make a huge difference at home. When someone gives you something, you have to be grateful. I hope that they continue till the lockdown comes to an end. I appreciate the act of kindness a lot,” said Nompumelelo Govela.