Providing FOOD SECURITY to those in need among us
“You can’t build a peaceful world on empty stomachs and human misery.”
Dr. Norman Ernest Borlaug
Food security can be defined as the measure of the availability of food and individuals’ ability to access it. According to the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security, food security is defined as meaning that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.
Rapid phone surveys done by the World Bank in 48 countries show a significant number of people running out of food or reducing their consumption and according to the UN report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World almost a billion people went hungry in 2020. The latest statistics for South Africa from Stats SA, in 2017, 6.8 million South Africans experienced hunger. While the number has dropped from 13.5 million in 2002, it still affects 1.7 million households across the country.
The House Mazibuko Foundation recognises how these global trends can also be found in South Africa, being one of the world’s most unequal society according to the Word Bank’s measure on the Gini Coefficient. The Foundation also recognises that the global pandemic has exacerbated these issues, leading to even higher levels of food insecurity for the most vulnerable amongst us. In this regard, we have set out to start two initiatives called “Adopt a Family to Feed” and “Feeding the Homeless”.
As part of our Food Security’s adopt a family to feed initiative, we have since adopted Buhle Bezwe Shelter for the Orphaned and Abandoned, which is situated in the township of Tembisa run by the phenomenal Mrs. Barbara Mthimkhulu, who herself was a nurse by profession, started the shelter when she discovered an abandoned child in her line of work and took the child in her care. Since then, the shelter now houses over 40 children ranging from ages 0 – 18 years of age. It was a no brainer that House Mazibuko Foundation would adopt this family as part of our “Adopt a Family to Feed” initiative. We are also supporting this shelter with a number of other support mechanisms including tutoring and mentoring the Grade 11s in preparation for Matric and beyond. We have also approached various Corporate Companies to help us in supporting this shelter with one company so far agreeing to come on board and is considering making a once-off contribution. We remain hopeful that more individuals, organisations and corporations will join us in supporting shelters such as Buhle Bezwe and countless other shelters and families in need of food security.
Feeding the Homeless
We have also set out to once a month provide care packages for the homeless which include food items. Our hope is that we can increase this from a monthly to a weekly occurrence and help feed and support these most vulnerable members of our society.
If you would like to help us in any of our Food Security initiatives or would to be a monthly donor please click on this link to donate or to become a monthly/recurring donor. Alternatively join us to volunteer by clicking on ‘contact us’ to register as a volunteer.