At least 750 families, whose lives were turned upside down by the recent floods in the Western Cape, received much needed aid in the form of materials for temporary shelter, blankets and food hampers last week as part of the Industrial Development Corporation’s (IDC) humanitarian response programme.
ForAfrika, the largest African humanitarian and development organisation partnered with the (IDC) and National Youth Development (NYDA) Agency to deliver the parcels to the hardest-hit communities of Strand, Lwandle, Philippi, Khayelitsha and Mfuleni.
“As a development funding institution with a mandate to contribute to social development,” said Head of Corporate Affairs Tshepo Ramodibe, “we have formed partnerships with various community-based organisations and NGOs who specialise in disaster management.
“Our aim is to help communities across the country that have been adversely affected by various disasters. Our partnership with ForAfrika is one that has been built over a period of time and goes a long a way in helping us reach communities in need.”
“Weeks after the storms, families are still struggling to piece their lives back together,” says Adel Terblanche, ForAfrika’s Community Development Officer in the Western Cape.
The hampers will assist approximately 3 000 people coming weeks.
“ForAfrika’s deep-rooted presence in these communities has allowed us to respond timeously and effectively,” said Terblanche. “The distribution of emergency relief was vital in addressing the urgent needs of those affected, ensuring they have the resources to start the recovery process.
“It has become apparent that these floods have been happening regularly over the past few years. We are building on our reserves to ensure we are able to respond quickly in times of emergency.”
ForAfrika’s response was made possible through the generosity of individual donors as well as the IDC and other key supporters.
Additionally, ForAfrika partnered with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) through their National Youth Service partner enlisted youth volunteers to provide essential assistance in packaging parcels, assisting the elderly and the distribution efforts.
The emergency intervention in the Western Cape reflects ForAfrika’s broader commitment to crisis response across South Africa. Earlier this year, the organisation played a crucial role in rehabilitating 15 boreholes in Hammanskraal after a cholera outbreak, benefiting over 12 000 people where the IDC also played a significant role in supporting this emergency intervention. ForAfrika has also provided critical support to victims of the tornado in KwaZulu-Natal and the floods in the Eastern Cape, assisting hundreds of individuals in their recovery.
Daily, the organisation supports thousands of children in Early Childhood Development centres across the country with food, water and educational programmes.
