Bulawayo organisation assists Zimbabweans in SA

21 May, 2020 - 13:05 0 Views
Bulawayo organisation assists Zimbabweans in SA

The Sunday News

Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter

A Zimbabwean based organisation, Antu Foundation, has mobilized food packs for vulnerable Zimbabweans that are living in various parts of South Africa in a bid to cushion them during this time when most of them are not working due to lockdown.

“We have  raised some funds and wish to support families with food hampers which we hope will cushion them for at least some time. Each hamper contains mealie meal, sugar, soya mince, powdered soup, cooking oil, salt, sugar beans and tea bags,” said Mr Lionel Muchirahondo the founder of  Antu Foundation.

He said Zimbabweans particularly in Pretoria and Johannesburg have made contact seeking assistance from the foundation.

“We have been received overwhelming responses from households in Pretoria and Johannesburg. Many of the messages have truly been heartbreaking but unfortunately we cannot serve all. Our only hope is that we make a small contribution to those who genuinely need assistance, ” he said.

The initiative to help those in distress in South Africa was a hastily set up project to  assist those in need in the neighbouring country.

The food packs were sourced through funding from well wishers.

“We prepared hampers and although this was a far cry compared to the overwhelming requests we received, we were happy to have at least helped some households.

The recipients came from Pretoria and Johannesburg.

“We travelled to Johannesburg South, Johannesburg Central, Yeoville, Hillbrow, Alexandra, Sunnyside Acadia and Mamelodi to deliver these parcels,” said Mr Muchirahondo.

Some of the recipients  admitted that they had nothing for the day, when the food was delivered.

“Among the requests, some individuals bemoaned the fact that they were stuck in South Africa and would have had rather traveled back to Zimbabwe but because of the border closure, were unable to do so. A touching story is of one of the recipients who, on top of not having enough to fend for her family, was saddened by her inability to travel to Zimbabwe to bury her sister who had just passed away,” he said.

Anthu Foundation is a new non-profit organisation established to promote and cater for the socioeconomic needs of the citizens of Bulawayo.

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