The South African non-governmental organisation and relief group Gift of the Givers, founded in 1992 by Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, has everybody talking. It fearlessly, and with great compassion, steps in to help wherever it can, not only in South Africa, but world-wide.
When word got out that Gift of the Givers would be handing food parcels out to senior citizens in Caledon, people streamed to the Victoria Hall on Wednesday 8 June.
Issah Watson who, with his wife Ruwaydah, runs Caledon Overberg Rise Against Hunger Scheme (Corahs), told Hermanus Times: “Every Monday we cook three huge pots of food, which we distribute in the community. We have done this for the past three years. We contacted Gift of the Givers about obtaining food parcels for handing out to senior citizens in our community. They kindly obliged and brought food parcels for the number of people we estimated would be here.”
As many more people than expected turned up, parcels, bags of maize meal and blankets were handed out in order of seniority. Musa Williams of Gift of the Givers and Watson did not want to see people go home empty handed, so decided to split the parcels up.
Watson says that in addition to his weekly feeding scheme he would like to be able to hand food parcels out on a more regular basis.
Theewaterskloof Executive Mayor Kallie Papier and several other council members attended the occasion.