22 April 2020
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of an economic and social package aimed at giving relief to those affected by the COVID19 induced national lockdown is a significant and powerful step forward for our country.
We welcome the President’s strong focus on measures which address food insecurity. We strongly feel that the efforts to create access to food for those who need it most is where we can have a meaningful impact – especially considering the connection between nutrition and its ability to fight illness.
As the largest manufacturer of food in Africa, we will continue to rise to the challenge to support South Africans.
Our food-based interventions include:
- Continuing with the current Family Food Programme to support around 30 000 individuals with meals every day. This programme provides hampers designed with the help of our nutritionist specially to feed a family of five.
- Expanding the current School Nutrition Programme with the Department of Basic Education to provide meals to communities where these would ordinarily have previously been facilitated through schools directly. When schools were shut, the Tiger Brands Foundation instead made available six thousand food hampers, ensuring learners were still fed as many come from families with no income. A second wave of food hampers, which been customised to include Morvite, milk powder, oil and soap are due to be delivered to communities this week.
- Continuation of the University Food Programme where universities have asked for efforts to continue notwithstanding institutions being closed because of the great need. This programme currently feeds around 4500 university students at five universities across eight campuses in South Africa.
- Supporting Food Forward with food items on a weekly basis to distribute across the country to communities in need.
#NourishandNurture #InSolidarity
