Update from LCP co-ordinator, Sandra Merrick on 5th August 2020
Dear Members of the Ambers
Soup kitchen during Corona
Our small soup kitchen in Lidgetton is running very well, and especially during the Corona Lockdown period, which is still not over in South Africa.Up until now, Nokuthula has been feeding about 30 children 3x per week.
The meal she provides is usually to supplement their one main meal they receive at school each day. Since lockdown, no children were allowed to go to school, so this resulted in many children going hungry.
Nokuthula, since she also could not go to her regular job, opened up her soup kitchen everyday, and has been feeding up to 85 children daily since lockdown.
Because of the restrictions, she has had limited help, only from her daughter, ill mother and one friend.They seem to have managed amazingly.
They have received some financial support during this period, which is not happening so often there. They have also received a lot of support in goods, especially now that winter is there and Lidgetton is very cold!
They have received woollen hats, blankets and toys. At the beginning of June they were on the local radio station and this generated a lot of awareness and support, which was great.
They received R12 500 (€640)
Voluntary work for the Lidgetton Community Project
LIDGETTON COMMUNITY PROJECT
The project requires people with energy, vision, time, and a heart for the mental and physical nourishment of young children, to ensure them of adequate early childhood development, and thus a fair chance of growing up into high functioning adolescents and adults.
The project was established 12 years ago, targeting the growing no of AIDS orphans, with the aim of supporting families caring for these children.
Two years ago a soup kitchen was established in response to the high mortality rate amongst U5’s in the community – targeting the U5’s in the informal settlement
Three ‘housewives’ from the farming community, together with a trained community worker residing in the informal settlement, currently run the project.
It is a non-profit organisation, run on a voluntary basis.
A decision was taken not to register the project with the Dept. of Social Welfare because of the cost of running a registered NPO on a small budget. All income is derived from donations, mostly from Europe.
Interested persons, may contact Sandra Merrick.