Vector Logistics and Imbumba Foundation distributed food aid to needy families in Durban as part of Mandela Month

As Mandela Month concludes, organizations working directly in the most vulnerable areas of Gauteng are strongly urging South Africans not to cease charitable giving after July, emphasizing that children experiencing violence and trauma require daily support.

Activity in Westbury

This sentiment was reflected on July 29th when The Star, in collaboration with the Hope SA Foundation, donated hygiene kits to 95 children at the Slovo Centre of Excellence. This early childhood development center provides educational support, daily meals, and after-school care for children from the surrounding community.

Community Challenges

Despite this initiative being part of Mandela Month, local leaders stated that the most serious issues facing children in Westbury cannot be solved solely through one-off events. The Together Action Group (TAG), which has served Westbury and neighboring areas for 25 years, notes that violence and the emotional impact of these issues have become major difficulties for families in the area.

Operations Manager Rhoda van Buren reported that the organization continues to provide daily support—including homework assistance, nutrition, and developmental programs—to about 80–90 children. However, many of these children arrive carrying a heavy emotional burden caused by the violence occurring around them. Van Buren cited an example, noting that five shootings occurred in just that week, and another person was killed the following morning.

Need for Psychological Support

She stressed that children are increasingly subjected to early-life violence, making access to emotional and psychological support as vital as receiving food and education. Van Buren pointed to a shortage of social workers needed to support traumatized children. While organizations often receive donations in the form of food and clothing, support that helps children cope with trauma remains extremely limited.

Calls to Action

The head of the Hope SA Foundation, Namrita Sivasankar, noted that the challenges faced by Westbury mirror those of many vulnerable communities across South Africa, where NGOs are forced to fill gaps with limited resources. She added that the government must address these issues, as the organization itself receives no support from the Department of Social Development. Sivasankar insisted that Mandela Day should stimulate long-term action, not just one-time gestures, calling for it to become a daily practice rather than merely a subject for media photos and social media posts.

She urged South Africans to continue helping in any way possible, asserting that significant change often begins with small acts of kindness, and advised people to start acting without waiting for a lottery win.

Future of Partnership

Both organizations expressed hope that their collaboration will encourage individuals, businesses, and communities to continue supporting vulnerable children long after Mandela Month concludes.

Maria Benvinda Levi stated that Mozambique possesses exceptional agroecological conditions and potential for producing sufficient food for both the domestic market and export. She emphasized the need to strengthen food and nutritional security, as well as generate income for Mozambican families.

Call for National Commitment

The statesman spoke in Maputo during the inauguration ceremony of Dino Foi as chairman of the FNDS board, reminding him of the institution's importance for the country's development. Levi insisted that eradicating hunger must become a national commitment that unites the Government, the private sector, partners, and the communities themselves. She noted that the problem of food insecurity, which affects many regions, should gradually become a thing of the past.

Need for System Transformation

Beyond simply increasing production, Levi stressed the necessity of transforming food systems, improving productivity, enhancing market access, and reducing post-harvest losses. She also instructed the newly appointed chairman to promote agro-industrialization, adding value to national products and ensuring that economic growth benefits communities.

Challenges and the Fund's Role

The First Minister reminded that in recent years, Mozambique has faced extreme weather events that threaten agricultural production and destroy vital infrastructure for the population. Therefore, she stated that the fund must become a decisive tool for the country's economic transformation, providing citizens with 'concrete solutions' for inclusive, sustainable, and resilient development, especially for rural residents who are facing the greatest difficulties.

Support for Youth and SMEs

Levi called on the institution to take a leading role in creating opportunities for women and youth, aiming for thousands of Mozambicans to find professional fulfillment without leaving their communities. She pointed out that creating local opportunities stimulates the economy in districts and reduces territorial inequality. The Government of Mozambique expects the fund to transform natural resources, agricultural potential, and human capital into prosperity for all citizens. Furthermore, she asked the fund to support and facilitate access to financing for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises operating in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, environmental protection, renewable energy, sustainable tourism, and the green economy, while demanding transparent resource management and increased value of human capital.

Responsibility of the New Leadership

Dino Foi, in turn, promised to make efforts to understand the fund's operations and develop specific plans for eradicating hunger in line with government directives. He stated that his main goal is to ensure the nutrition of the people of Mozambique.

As part of an initiative held in honor of Mandela Month, thousands of children attending schools and Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers across South Africa have benefited from a program that included the delivery of food parcels and the creation of food production gardens aimed at improving food security.

Volunteer Activities and Project Scale

Volunteers from FirstRand Volunteers (FRV) mobilized 2,500 employees from nine provinces to work alongside the organization Meals on Wheels. During this activity, 2,500 nutritious food parcels were packed for needy families, and food growing containers were established for schools, ECD centers, nursing homes, and community organizations.

The national campaign under Mandela Month supported vulnerable communities through food security initiatives. The Mandela Month program, with a total cost exceeding 10 million rand, provided food, agricultural resources, garden infrastructure, seedlings, compost, irrigation support, and ongoing training.

Achieved Results and Goals

The initiative has already reached about 50–60 beneficiary organizations across South Africa, many of which provide daily meals, education, care, and auxiliary services to children, the elderly, and vulnerable families. The volunteer activities were designed to extend the impact of Mandela Month beyond a single day of service, promoting long-term food security and encouraging employee volunteering.

Thousands of vulnerable children are expected to benefit from the food parcels and gardens created during Mandela Month. Kone Gugushe, Head of Social Investment at FirstRand Group, noted that 'Mandela Month reminds us that meaningful change starts with action. Through this program, our employees united across the country to provide both immediate aid and long-term solutions for food security in the communities we serve.'

Combining Aid and Sustainability

Meals on Wheels has served vulnerable communities in South Africa for decades through food distribution programs while promoting long-term food security through community gardens and sustainable planting initiatives. The Mandela Month initiative successfully linked immediate food aid provision with long-term food security through the creation of sustainable vegetable gardens.

As part of this project, volunteers packed food parcels for needy families and planted vegetable seedlings, while collecting garden containers for beneficiary organizations with the support of program coordinators, Meals on Wheels facilitators, and community partners.