The COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa has exacerbated an immediate and urgent need for food in vulnerable communities in the country. Many households have in excess of six individuals residing at any one time, dependant on one income.
Food insecurity is a pressing issue with more and more vulnerable people being pushed into food poverty and starvation a very real possibility. By building on Food Lover’s Market’s (FLM) current infrastructure and enabling it to increase supply and distribution to these most vulnerable communities Actis Acts is able to help alleviate this risk of starvation.
The first is the Food Forward COVID-19 initiative. FLM has a longstanding relationship with Food Forward, the leading food bank in South Africa. FLM is providing 1.3 million meals to Food Forward to be distributed to the existing beneficiary organisations in their network. Food Forward, highly regarded in the donor sector work with an established network of NGOs distributing to previously vetted organisations.
Food Forward has increased its beneficiaries from 200,000 a day to 400, 000 a day with further growth now possible.
The second project is the Kolisi Foundation, set up by Springbok rugby captain Siya Kolisi and his wife Rachel in March 2020. The foundation is helping to address food insecurity in the poorest South African communities by delivering food parcels, as well as driving other school and community projects and providing protective equipment to state hospitals.
The Kolisi Foundation is reaching grass root initiatives, often women running soup kitchens from home that would not be able to access donations or food supply from more traditional donors. As a young foundation, it is building infrastructure to help reduce its costs per meal over time.
Actis Acts and FLM are supporting the Kolisi Foundation with both food and funding and our involvement will mean that their efforts will scale up and their costs reduced.
Actis Acts’ funding is targeted at two projects:
The Kolisi Foundation initially aimed to feed 1000 families for a 3 month period, this number has already been exceeded and is aiming to feed 7, 350 people a month. In this way, Actis Acts funding is enabling thousands more vulnerable, hungry people to be fed, enabling them to seek work and gain meaningful employment as the economy begins to open up.
FLM has been running a radio campaign with one of the country’s largest radio stations to highlight the Foundation and actively seeking wider support for it. As the Rugby World Cup winning captain, Siya Kolisi captured the hearts of the nation with his personal story of hope and courage. He began his foundation in order to serve the vulnerable communities where he was born and raised.
