Te midde van kouefronte wat die laaste paar weke oor Touwsrivier en die res van die Breederiviervallei skuif, kring die poel van honger, werklose mense op di\u00e9 dorp en omstreke aan die vooraand van die winter reeds \u00e1l wyer uit.<\/p>\n
In Touwsrivier, ongeveer \u2019n anderhalfuur van Kaapstad af, op die rand van die Boland en die Karoo, word oplossings gesoek om voedselsekerheid daar te verbeter. <\/p>\n
Die meeste van dorp se 8 130 inwoners leef onder die bestaansminimum. Al hoe meer mense is afhanklik van staatstoelaes (veral kindertoelaes) en kosskenkings. <\/p>\n
\u201cHonger en hopeloosheid spoel al hoe meer oor ons dorp,\u201d s\u00ea Rashaad Baker van Compassionate Hearts. By hierdie organisasie sonder winsbejag, wat \u2019n sopkombuis uit sy huiswinkel bedryf, word daagliks tot 1 000 mense gevoed. <\/p>\n
Hier staan honger inwoners van die dorp \u2013 veral werklose mans \u2013 reeds van vroegdag af in die ry vir kos. Waar moontlik, neem mense ook kos huis toe. \u201cOns uitgangspunt is om te seker te maak niemand stap hier met le\u00eb hande weg nie,\u201d s\u00ea Baker.<\/p>\n
Compassionate Hearts is sedert die begin van die Covid-19-pandemie betrokke by koshulp en hulpverlening in die dorp. Die organisasie kry onder meer steun van ander organisasies soos Gift of the Givers. \u201cOns het aanvanklik kos aan net \u2019n paar kinders verskaf. Die grootmense het gevolg. Sedertdien het die rye nog nooit opgedroog nie.\u201d<\/p>\n
Probleme met armoede en mense wat honger ly of ongesonde kos eet, het sedert die begin van die pandemie vererger, s\u00ea hy. Terselfdertyd neem leefstylverwante siektes in die dorp toe, waaronder suikersiekte, ho\u00eb bloeddruk en vetsug.<\/p>\n
\u201cOns mense kry swaar en ly honger,\u201d s\u00ea Baker. <\/p>\n
Hy stel dit onomwonde: \u201cDie dorp beleef \u2019n krisis.\u201d <\/p>\n
Touwsrivier ondervind volgens navorsing van die ergste vlakke van groeibelemmering in kinders jonger as vyf jaar \u2013 die ergste in die land.<\/p>\n
Om honger te wees, is iets waaroor mense nie aldag praat nie, maar gewis iets wat meer aandag moet geniet, glo Johanna Solomon, hoof van die voorskoolse Emmanual Educare-sentrum. <\/p>\n
\u201cDie dorp is in \u2019n diep sloot,\u201d beken sy. \u201cMense verval in skuld by moneylenders <\/i>en food brokers, <\/i>en party ruil kos vir drank. Dis die kinders wat uiteindelik die meeste hieronder ly.\u201d <\/p>\n
Solomons en haar span onderrig 60 voorskoolse kinders by hierdie sentrum. Hulle ontvang \u2019n staatsubsidie vir net 32 van die leerders. Sy betaal dikwels vir die sentrum se kosverwante uitgawes uit haar eie sak.<\/p>\n
Kinders wat ondervoed is of ongesonde kos kry, groei volgens haar stadiger en raak maklik agter in die klas. Talle kinders in haar sorg ly aan fetale-alkohol-sindroom, ondervind ernstige leerprobleme en leer stadiger om te praat.<\/p>\n
Sowat 60 besluitnemers, akademici, regeringslui asook verteenwoordigers van organisasies wat by voedselsekerheid betrokke is, het onlangs \u2019n feitesending (learning journey<\/i>) na di\u00e9 dorp onderneem. \u2013 Vervolg op bladsy2. <\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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