food parcels farmers
Photo Cred: SA INC

Tiger Brands feed over 30,000 people a month through their food parcel programme, and these are just some of the beneficiaries behind the project.

 

Ferreirastown, Johannesburg – As part of the #SAINC nation-building initiative, Tiger Brands is joining a network of purpose-driven brands to share stories of positive progress in South Africa. These are just a few of the thousands of people uplifted through food parcels and food garden upgrades.

Vusumuzi Hlongwane lost his mother while he was still in school. When she passed, he needed to drop out, and he never got to complete his education. That is until he was 62.

He is a man of his community and has always wanted to help. It was through sheer determination that he was able to achieve what not many others tackle at his age. He completed his matriculates at the age of 62. Now, a few years later, he is helping his community in the best way!

Vusumuzi heads up a successful NGO, the Thulani Dlamini Home-based Care in Ferreirastown, and is making a considerable difference in the lives of many in the community.

Vusumuzi Hlongwane. Credit: Regency Global / SA INC

In South Africa, almost twelve million people go to bed hungry every night. Many of these empty bellies are found in households where one gogo looks after many orphaned grandkids on a meagre pension. It is this harsh reality that Vusumuzi wanted to change.

It was impossible for him to sit back and witness people starving. He needed action, so he called in the assistance of a food manufacturing business, Tiger Brands.

With their ethos of helping needy communities, Tiger Brands started providing food parcels to the gogos in his neighbourhood every month.

The food parcels have been designed by a nutritionist, making sure that they are nutritious and balanced. Not only do the food parcels offer what a person needs to get by, but they were also designed to be sufficient to feed a family of between four and six people for an entire month.

Vusumuzi is just one man making a difference in his community, but he isn’t alone in his efforts! Throughout communities in South Africa, people are working hard to support those in need. Tiger Brands give specially designed food parcels out to a variety of individuals and organisations.

In Stellenbosch, the Kayamandi based organisation, Love to Give, is another beneficiary of the Tiger Brands food parcels. In the 13 years, they have been working in the area; they have managed to reduce the child malnutrition statistics in the area from 75% to a mere 2%. That is an incredible accomplishment because hungry children can’t concentrate on school work.

Annabel Rosholt, founder of Love to Give, believes that people have enormous untapped potential, and when offered the chance, can rise out of their situations.

Nono Gqabaza is a 64-year old gogo and one of the food parcel beneficiaries of Love to Give. She looks after a household of 10 and has had to learn so much to stay on top of things. She even learned how to use a laptop; at her age, she is immensely proud of her achievement.

Nono Gqabaza. Credit: Regency Global / SA INC

In addition to feeding people, it is imperative to Tiger Brands that communities do not become reliant on the food parcels, but instead become sustainably independent. Through collaborations with implementation partners such as Food and Trees for Africa, Tiger Brands can educate these communities in organic farming practices and assist with the modernisation of their existing community food gardens.

By teaching them to farm sustainably, communities learn how to be self-sustainable, which frees Tiger Brands up to help in other areas too. In partnership with organisations like Love to Give, Food and Trees for Africa, and Thulani Dlamini Home-based Care, and many others, Tiger Brands manages to feed more than 30 000 people per month. However, by teaching the building of organic community food gardens, Tiger Brands are not only feeding these needy communities but empowering them to be self-reliant.

These stories are being featured across social media in small snippets, just like the one below, but you also be able to watch the full-length features live on television. You can catch the full stories below.

24th March – ETV Open News – 18:30
25th April – ETV Open News – 15:30
06th April – SABC 2 – 14:30
28th April – ETV – 12:00

Watch a snippet of the story below:

Good Things Guy has partnered with Regency Global and Official Brand South Africa to bring you stories of how corporates and individuals are helping build our incredible nation.This week we're taking a look at a company that feeds over 30 000 South Africans a month. It's people and organisations like this that help move us forward!#GoodThings#NationBuilding#SAINC

Posted by Good Things Guy on Monday, 18 March 2019


Sources: Regency Global – SA INC
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About the Author

Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues, animal welfare and social upliftment. Outside of Good Things Guy, she is an avid reader and lover of tea.

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