Rural communities to benefit from NPO’s food parcels distribution initiative

Limpopo– Twelve thousand identified needy households in the rural areas of the province stand to benefit from a food parcels distribution initiative by Mahlasedi Foundation, a Non-Profit Organization.

This was announced during a meeting held at the premier’s office between Limpopo Social Development MEC, Nkakareng Rakgoale and the foundation’s representatives on Tuesday, 16 March 2021.

MEC Rakgoale, who represented Premier Chupu Mathabatha, expressed appreciation for the commitment by Mahlasedi Foundation to distribute food parcels to 12 thousand households in identified areas of the province.

The MEC said the food parcels would go a long way in assisting families that had been left food insecure during the current lockdown period.

She said the food parcels would augment the department’s COVID-19 Food Relief Program, which was targeting 37 thousand households.

“On behalf of the Limpopo government, in particular the honourable premier who mandated me to be part of this session, we really want to appreciate this gesture by Mahlasedi Foundation, who will be distributing the food parcels themselves. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts as it happens at the time when the economy is crippled and our people are suffering. As government we will be working together with them to ensure that our people benefit from this gesture,” said Rakgoale.

Bert Pretorius, Mahlasedi Foundation head, said the level of vulnerability in rural communities prompted them to come on board and join hands with Limpopo provincial government.

Pretorius said they have seen the tremendous need and people’s desperation and something they have realized was that there were urban areas in other provinces but Limpopo had been found to be the most rural area and that was the reason they realized that they needed to make a decision.

“Our hearts are in rural areas and we want to say to the rural communities that we see you and we hear you,” said Pretorius.

The actual distribution of the first batch of food parcels is expected to start in two weeks’ time in identified areas.