Crush Magazine supports the protection of lives via the lockdown but we are heartbroken about the effect that this is having on our most vulnerable citizens, our children and elderly. We are highlighting this worthy campaign via Rotary Club of Newlands so that you can be part of making a difference where it is needed most.

Who Are The Rotary Club of Newlands

The Rotary Club of Newlands (RCN) is a voluntary non-profit organisation, part of Rotary International – a humanitarian service organisation open to all. Rotary Club of Newlands has a 27-year pedigree in community services at over 40 Early Childhood Development Centres and schools and has recognised that the Coronavirus pandemic is affecting many of the projects that it has a history of assisting. Rotary Club of Newlands has thus launched a fundraising campaign to raise money for food to be distributed to those who are in desperate need.

In the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and His Holiness, the Dalai Lama,

“No dark fate determines the future. We do. Each day and each moment, we are able to create and recreate our lives and the very quality of human life on our planet.”

The Startling Facts

Millions of children are not receiving their daily school meals during lockdown and are getting even less than usual to eat at home. Parents are unable to contribute to assist the school feeding schemes or to feed their families at home and school subsidies for meals have mostly not started yet and will, in any case, be inadequate without parents’ contributions coming in.

A recent survey by Bridge Capital suggests that at 20 000 to 30 000 Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDs), 98% of parents are currently unable to contribute fees, which means that the ECDs are unable to feed the children in their care. If one starts to factor in primary and high schools, the numbers of hungry children run to many millions at the moment.

Worse than this is the fact that the long term futures of many of these ECDs are at stake. The childcare, food and love provided at these ECDs frees up 1-1.5 million parents to seek work, and with these ECDs – and their parent’s jobs – at risk, these children could face hunger for a long time. Not only that but those ECDs that survive will only reopen in July…

Rotary Club of Newlands – How You Can Help

South Africans have big hearts and many people are supporting their own staff through the crisis, but the Rotary Club of Newlands campaign is a place where you can make an immediate difference and where it is guaranteed that all of the money will go to feeding hungry children.

A donation of R500 will give 50-100 meals and $50 will feed a family of four for a month but every penny makes a difference.

Rotary Club of Newlands is deeply networked with numerous NPOs and NGOs and 100% of funds raised by the campaign will go directly to alleviate hunger. This will be achieved by supporting Early Childhood Development Centres and other Non Profit organisations in informal settlements that are running feeding schemes for children and their families.

Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries and partners for this fundraiser include the following organisations: Rotary Sponsored Early Childhood Development Centres and other ECDs, Philisa Abafazi Bethu (also feeding the elderly) and other feeding schemes, Breadline SA, Rise Against Hunger, Kiff Kombis, Langa ECD Forum and others.

To make a donation to help the Rotary Club of Newlands to assist where needed, please visit their fundraising campaign and make any donation that you can.

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