Lockdown hampers assistance to the needy
'Because of the lockdown, we have had to halt a lot of the Living Waters of Hope's projects, resulting in reduced cash flow.'
The national lockdown has put strain on many community members, households and businesses. Various non-profit organisations (NGO) are feeling the pinch, as many of them depend on donations and various fundraising events.
”As a result of the lockdown, the operations of Living Waters of Hope (LWOH) have been impacted severely. LWOH supplies food and basic necessities to many poor, distressed and elderly people in the community. We normally have our own initiatives for fundraising, but none of those initiatives can be carried out at the moment,” said Stefan du Plooy of LWOH.
He added that, despite the situation, the organisation still strives to deliver much-needed help by reaching out to vulnerable and poor communities.
Some of LWOH’s projects include handing out sandwiches to the job seekers in the community on the street corners every week; donating toiletries and other essentials to old age homes (this includes a foot-pampering session) every month; handing out food parcels at Princess informal settlement; providing sport and study facilities; an annual year-end food parcel drive; donating school supplies to the children in the community who are in need; as well as donating warm winter clothes to ensure the school children do not go to school feeling cold.
LWOH also offers support services in the form of food parcels packed according to an individual’s or family’s needs, and in some instances, they also offer financial support to those who have lost their only source of income. This is something the individual or family has to apply for as certain criteria need to be met.
Stefan said if the public would be willing to help and donate essential items, they would still be able to offer their assistance and ensure their projects can continue. ”We are always in need of donations, but it is especially important during this time as we would not be able to do this without some form of assistance. Thanking you in advance for your donations.”
For more information on LWOH and their projects, or to find out how you can help, contact Hester Levin at info@lwoh.co.za or on 082 490 5998. Alternatively, contact Stefan at stefan@lwoh.co.za or on 072 262 4653.
