​On Tuesday, twenty (20) families from Mgongo Informal Settlement next to Far East Hospital in Brakpan, who formerly went to bed hungry, have received food parcels and vegetable seeds to start their own food gardens at home.
This initiative, which is aligned with the global theme for Nelson Mandela International Day of showing 'Solidarity in reducing climate change and food insecurity', has addressed persisting and rising levels of poverty, thanks to the efforts by the Gauteng Department of Social Development, Ekurhuleni Regional Office.
According to Community Development Supervisor under Sustainable Livelihoods and Youth Development, Nomthandazo Maphumulo, the Ekurhuleni Foodbank will supply the families with food parcels for the next three (3) months.
Speaking during the launch of a greenhouse vegetable tunnel at Siyabonga Africa on Tuesday, Maphumulo said, "We are very proud of the partnership with Siyabonga Africa. We are able to provide for these families because they assisted us by profiling them as they did walk-ins at the centre urgently seeking for assistance or intervention."
"We take this organisation and all NPOs as an extension of our Department because they reach far in communities where we sometimes don't reach. We also extend appreciation to all our colleagues at Gauteng Department of Social Development who searched deep in their pockets to buy sanitary pads as an addition to the food packs," said Maphumulo.
Centre Manager at Siyabonga Africa, Sarah-Jane Brink added that one (1) box of seeds can assist a family of four with vegetables for a year.
"We will welcome you again at our centre so that we teach you more about gardening and other things that we are doing here as part of our agricultural programme."
"Thank you to the Gauteng Department of Social Development for partnering with us not just for Mandela Day, but for making sure our programmes of upscaling the youth are sustainable and touch thousands of lives," said  Brink.