A good Samaritan based in Dunnotar has lent a helping hand in feeding a community in need during the coronavirus lockdown.
Sibongile Mgcina (32) and her friend Mmapule Masehla (29), employees of a shoe store in Springs, have been giving out a loaf of bread to families which cannot afford to buy groceries within the Ekurhuleni Eastern Region.
Mgcina says the initiative started after the extension of the lockdown by government, which was an effort to curb the rapid spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
President Cyril Ramaphosa had on April 9 announced the extension of the nationwide lockdown by a further two weeks beyond the initial 21 days, announced on March 23.
With citizens since ordered to stay at home for the period, many have been struggling to make ends meet as they can no longer be able to go out and try to make a living, unless they provide an essential service.
Mgcina, who has been working from home since the announcement of lockdown, says she saw the need to stand up and make a difference.
“Because the whole time I’ve been wondering what can I do to help the community during the extension of lockdown and I just couldn’t find exactly what I wanted to do. Until I heard how people have been struggling to get groceries that were supposedly supposed to help the communities but never reached, so I thought bread. It’s not much but it’ll go a long way.”
Mgcina says she started handing over bread to families within Dunnotar on Saturday and managed to hand over 20 loaves by end of that weekend.
“So I went to my local super market and bought 10 loaves to help four homes I knew were struggling in the township and the state I found them in was heartbreaking, so I went and bought 10 to give to three more homes, and still that wasn’t enough.”
Mgcina says she has also been receiving support from the company she works for, her friend and colleague Masehla and their manager Samantha Barlow, who help with marketing the initiative. She also adds that despite the challenges, they have since managed to feed a number of families.
“So I contacted one of my friends Mmapule and obviously she was in. And we started with the digital pamphlet on that night. With such an amazing boss I have, Samantha Barlow shared my initiative on our work group and the teams response was just so amazing and scary, too.
“It’s been the most amazing roller coaster ride since then and everyone who has contributed in making this a success can sleep peacefully knowing that someone out there has gone to bed on a full stomach because of their contributions and support.
“There’s been so many challenges along the way but the goal is bigger that the challenges. We’ve been chased out. Closed doors in our faces, declined responses,” Mgcina explains.
She also says the will to make the initiative a success is what has kept them at work and that they aim to continue with it.
“Our biggest donor is the company we work for, Tekkie Town. We’ve raised and shared 375 loaves of bread in two days and that’s been an amazing achievement.”
Mgcina, however, says one the biggest challenges is applying for a permit which will allow them to continue with their work.
“We went to the police station to ask if we need a permit to donate bread and they said they don’t issue permits for such, so it wouldn’t be a problem, until we got chased out by CPF (Community Police Forum) who called the police on us, the same police that told me I don’t need a permit. Our route eventually ended at Social Development department but only to be sent a message, telling us that they also can’t help us."
Mgciwa says they have also been advised to go to the Nigel Customer Care Center (CCC) to ask for a permit, but says the CCC also sent them from pilar to post.
However, Mgcina is still adamant that they are not about to stop and says their aim is to raise 1 500 loaves of bread to give to families in need within communities, during the lockdown period.
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