The Gift of the Givers team has been on the ground in East London to support the communities affected by the flood.
East London, South Africa (10 January 2022) – Hot meals and blankets are just the start; Gift of the Givers has stepped forward to offer assistance to all that have been affected by the flood in the Eastern Cape.
Over the weekend, East London was hit by a massive storm, which brought endless rains that led to flooding. The flood has tragically claimed many lives already. The Gift of the Givers is working to lend a helping hand.
Hundreds of families in Mdantsane and Duncan Village have been left with almost nothing as the strong waters displaced homes and left a thick muddy layer behind. Both villages are home to some of South Africa’s poorest, so the flood has been a major setback for the communities.
Gift of the Givers teams arrived immediately after receiving requests from community leaders, residents, the mayor, deputy mayor, disaster management and COGTA MEC and Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane.
“Such requests from government entities and communities have been the norm for several years. The communities of Mdantsane and Duncan Village have been assisted by Gift of the Givers on many occasions in non-disaster situations. Our teams were accompanied by COGTA MEC, Xolile Nqatha, Mayor Xolani Pakati, Deputy Mayor Princess Faku, Speaker of the BCM Humphrey Maxegwana and disaster management’s Joe Khumalo during our on-site assessment.”
BCM disaster management established five shelters to provide accommodation for all affected by the flood.
“We finished distribution of hot meals and Woolworths sleeping bags as an immediate intervention. More assistance will be provided today.”
“In recent weeks Eastern Cape has been battered by tornados, flooding and storms causing extensive damage in Mthatha, Raymond Mhlaba Municipality affecting Alice, Fort Beaufort, Middledrift and Adelaide and now Buffalo City Municipality. Hundreds of homes, forty-nine clinics and three hospitals have been damaged. Gift of the Givers has provided substantial support but without public generosity, many of the homes will be inhabitable and the health facilities will remain in a state of disrepair.”
If you would like to support the efforts of Gift of the Givers, you can do so using the details below.
Gift of the Givers
Standard Bank Pietermaritzburg,
Account number 052137228,
Branch Code 057525,
Ref: EC disasters.
Send deposit slip to donations@giftofthegivers.org to receive Section 18A tax-deductible certificate.
“Gift of the Givers has moved its entire operation in the Eastern Cape to East London, commencing 10 January 2022. Fortuitously, our teams were on-site in East London moving homes when the disaster struck. Fortunately, access to supplies was practical as the opening of our new warehouse in East London, not far from Mdantsane, was inaugurated by Mayor Xolani Pakati on 10 December, our first project on that very same day being the supply of bulk food items to forty hospitals in the EC to feed hungry patients.”
You can follow their social media pages for updates on the community’s needs.
by 