Bursary Journey during Lockdown

HUMANITARIAN AID AND DISASTER RELIEF IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL LOTTERIES COMMISSION

We have a long and well-recognized record of humanitarian relief in times of crisis. When disaster strikes, we respond - delivering quality, lifesaving assistance and essential protection to those most affected. We provide help in the form of food and essentials they need to survive, and we work with people on the journey to self-sufficiency.

Through our long-term development programmes, we remain after the dust settles helping communities to rebuild and support them to cope with shocks and uncertainties. The scale and nature of these humanitarian crises leads us to put more emphasis on building resilience of affected populations and increasing local response capacity and ownership. We recognize that local responders are best placed to help in emergencies, and we therefore work with local government, local organisations and communities in order to prepare them to respond in emergencies and to cope when crisis hits.

This all played out during the devastating Masiphumelele (Masi) fires in December 2020. We identified a local organisation, Living Hope, as our implementing partner on the ground in Masi. Through this partnership Living Hope conducted a thorough needs analysis in the community and we were able to strategically support the community by: • providing emergency food distribution for 22 food relief feeding kitchens • distributing over 500 food relief boxes to 500 affected families • providing 1 000 PEP vouchers to families with school-going children to purchase school uniforms and stationery • contributing building material to the City of Cape Town Human Settlements Department to provide temporary housing structures

The total value of Masi disaster relief support amounted to R2m, graciously donated by the National Lotteries Commission.