A group of farmworkers reclaimed their dignity by making jam; the Malmesbury SPAR supported them by buying 16 bottles to stock instore.
Malmesbury, South Africa (27 May 2020) – The residents and farmworkers of Middelpos farm have had their dignity restored. Rather than taking handouts, they set up a small business making jams and have received some great support.
Charitable organisation “Inspire Children and Youth” shared the excellent news of the Middelpos farm. They called the programme, the poor helping the poor!
“If we were to capture the programme on Middelpos farm we would call it: THE POOR HELPING THE POOR!
When safe spaces are created, appropriate daily support is given with a mixture of true ownership, blended with kindness taught to those who are vulnerable, suffering and poor on rural farms, it will result in an end to generational cycles of poverty, ill-health, malnutrition, abuse, pain and a sense of worthlessness and lack of dignity.
When MALMESBURY SPAR ordered 16 jars of our jam, and we delivered it today, it was so much more than a purchase. It felt like we won the lottery, and perhaps we did, only time will tell! To the children and women on Middelpos and surrounding farms, it was a glimpse of hope, a push in restoring their human dignity and developing a community pride that was long forgotten. The shame of years of poverty, humiliation and suffering is slowly turning into more laughs, hope and a sustainable economy where the poor are creating jobs for the poor not because they have much, but because they know what it means to have nothing.
Thank you SPAR MALMESBURY for helping us on our journey to create an alternative rural economy on Middelpos farm that restores human dignity and gives hope to those who are forgotten, faceless and voiceless on rural farms, the children, women, disabled and elderly people. Please know that we are so grateful. To everyone who goes to SPAR, please purchase our products because you are not just buying a jam, but in this case, you are helping the poor to bring an end to poverty because of their own efforts. Thank you so much!
The government predicts that our unemployment rate will increase from 29% to 50% after coronavirus. This will make life for rural farm women even more difficult and so too for the children. Our work is a modest start, and we therefore still require your donations to assist us with providing the very basics to rural farm families on Middelpos and surrounding farms.”
They have set up a crowdfund to feed the community during this time. If you would like to support them and can’t buy the jam, you can donate to their fund here. They are feeding 1459 children and women on 16 rural farms.
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