“Why are you dancing and singing?”

This is the question Phumzile, HOPE worldwide SA’s Provincial Coordinator, asked a mother (in yellow) of two young children. She is unemployed and lives in the crowded, disadvantaged township of 

Msogwaba, in Mpumalanga. It is one of 32 sites across the country where HOPE worldwide South Africa (HWSA) runs its Early Childhood Development Programs. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown and the closure of preschools, her children had not had a proper meal for two weeks. She had to ask her neighbours for help with food and they helped her where they could. Receiving a food parcel gave her hope and joy during this difficult time as she can now provide for her children.

This is the tragic reality for millions of families in South Africa who were already just one meal away from hunger before the lockdown and relied on meals provided by preschools. Since the implementation of the national lockdown, millions of children have been homebound and countless families are hurting and struggling, especially the unemployed and those depending on casual jobs. Child hunger is on the rise. With the help of our donors and corporate sponsors, HWSA has been able to get emergency food relief parcels to over 7,000 families since the lockdown began.

With the extension of the lockdown until the end of April, the need for food support is growing in numbers and urgency. We urgently need help in getting food supplies to more at-risk families and to restore hope to neighbours in need. R300 helps us get a food parcel to a family in need.

Join us in helping young, vulnerable children in South Africa affected by Covid-19 and hunger by donating towards a food parcel or becoming a regular donor. Please follow the link at https://hopeworldwidesa.org/donate-now/. For donations of food parcels, please use ‘Food Parcel’ as a reference.

Thanks for your support.