Israeli embassy supports Afrika Tikkun

OWN CORRESPONDENT

The embassy has enabled Afrika Tikkun to increase the provision of food parcels and hygiene products to communities in Diepsloot.

At the start of the lockdown, Afrika Tikkun had to send 10 000 children home from its five centres across Gauteng and the Western Cape, but the organisation made each one leave with a month’s supply of food, soap, and sanitisers for their families.

Afrika Tikkun was then selected to be one of the food parcel distributing agencies for the Solidarity Fund, a platform created by government for public and private initiatives in response to the crisis.

With the further launch of the Neighbour to Neighbour Support Program, a number of private organisations, non-profits, and community-based structures have pulled together, donating funds and items for further food-parcel distribution.

With this initiative, and the support of many partners, Afrika Tikkun has mobilised a community level response to the COVID-19 lockdown, scaling up supplies of food and essentials for the vulnerable; thereby also providing a vehicle for the easy and efficient support of Afrika Tikkun’s community efforts.

Said Marc Lubner, the chief executive of Afrika Tikkun, “We are deeply appreciative for the meaningful partnership we have enjoyed with the embassy of Israel. We are so grateful for its assistance in helping us support vulnerable communities in a safe and responsible manner during the lockdown period.”

Said Israeli Ambassador Lior Keinan, “We are always seeking to increase co-operation with local organisations on initiatives for the citizens of South Africa.”

With the extension of the lockdown period, and the phased approach to opening up the country, there is the need for an expanded feeding scheme to meet the needs of these communities. Afrika Tikkun and the Embassy of Israel are calling on all South Africans to support the Neighbour to Neighbour Support Program.