Durban: Gift of the Givers Foundation will provide food hampers to 500 malnourished families in Butterworth in the Eastern Cape.
According to Corene Conradie, Eastern Cape co-ordinator, nine children died in one month from malnutrition.
“Hunger and malnutrition is on the rise in various parts of the Eastern Cape.
“Sadly so many children have already lost their lives. Nine children died in the Butterworth hospital due to malnutrition.
“The good news is that malnutrition can be prevented and the effects can be reversed with good nutrition.
“Together with our trusted partner Woolworths, Gift of the Givers will be bringing hope and dignity to 500 households in the Butterworth area that has been identified as a malnutrition hotspot area by the Department of Health.”
Zinzi Mgolodela, Woolworths director in corporate affairs said the plight in Butterworth was recently brought to their attention.
“Knowing that we were planning to donate food parcels in the next month we contacted Gift of the Givers and asked them if we could direct some of these food parcels to Butterworth and fast track the donation,” Mgolodela said.
She said Woolworths had partnered with Gift of Givers in the past two years, providing over 2.7million meals to needy families all over South Africa.
She said the nutritionally balanced food care packs contain protein, fresh fruit, vegetables and other staples, as well as hygiene products.
This donation comes hot on the heels of Gift of the Givers intervention in KwaZulu-Natal following floods.
IOL