Community’s joint actions bring support to informal settlements in need; this is just one of many stories showcasing how ordinary South Africans are doing the extraordinary!
Pretoria, South Africa (13 April 2020) – More than 750 vulnerable families of Cemetery View received food packages from the ISF (Informal Settlement Forum) – easing distress in this informal settlement during Nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.
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The ISF in partnership with Living Word Pretoria East, Doxa Deo Faerie Glen and Brave to Love NGO have compiled fundamental food parcels of maize and vegetables to feed and sustain the impoverished families. The distribution of these parcels to households of Cemetery View in Pretoria East were assisted by SAPS, Bull Security and medical personnel of VEMRU (Voluntary Emergency Medical Response Unit).
Jason Oberholster, the spokesman of the ISF, commends “everyone for coming together as a community within the forum to aid the hungry people of Cemetery View on Monday.”
He says that “feedback from the community was very positive” thanks to all the parties involved.
The forum means to extend this kind of assistance to Cemetery View and another informal settlement of the area in the remainder of this critical period. Still, it relies significantly on partner involvement and donations to do so. A fundraising goal of 3400 food packs has been set to cater for the most basic needs of these communities, of which only 25% has been attained to date.
Any further contributions, either physical or monetary, are wholly welcomed by the forum. For financial donation on food parcels https://pretoriaeastisf.shopstar.co.za
This crisis unmistakably threatens everyone’s way of life. Still, it is especially difficult for people who are already vulnerable in our country – those experiencing homelessness, refugees and migrants, wage workers and those with inflexible jobs. In our city, Woodlane Village and Cemetery View in Pretoria East are two of these high-risk communities left hanging in the balance – desperately dependent on humanity and the greater community to see them through these challenging times.
The Informal Settlement Forum (ISF) that was formed in 2018 has collaborated with relevant stakeholders during the lockdown is to assist these two informal settlements: Cemetery
View and Woodlane Village (Plastic View) in Pretoria East have two COVID crisis stations, one at each settlement, with two teams on the ground. These teams concentrate on disease awareness and surveillance, crime and food security.
Alongside the aforementioned food drive, great advances in health care services for the two communities have also been realised during this period. A team of about 40 community leaders, community health workers and ISF volunteers are actively deployed in these settlements – working to take care of inhabitants and promote preventative measures against the spread of the Coronavirus. These clinical team can safely continue their engagement on the front-line through the generous donations of face masks and gloves from Jacaranda FM’s mask drive on Saturday last week. The ISF is immensely grateful for this aid. Both COVID crisis points have screening facilities for COVID-19.
For more information on the forum please refer to our website www.pretoriaeastisf.co.za or direct questions to info@pretoriaeastisf.co.za.
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