SOUTH AFRICAN music artist Ard Matthews will perform live from 4.30pm today – April 30, 2020 – via his Facebook page, from the Hout Bay Castle rooftop in support of the town’s crisis management organisation, Courage, that was founded in the first days of South Africa’s current Covid-19 lockdown.
Courage is a hub for NGOs and local Hout Bay community groups and residents to connect to a centralised system of communication and logistics. The local organisation is currently delivering 500 to 800 food parcels daily to residents mainly in Hout Bay’s Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg communities that feed approximately 24 000 persons in need per week. Each parcel is sufficient to last approximately two weeks. These parcels are delivered door to door and are focused on the most vulnerable during the current Covid-19 pandemic where a pending and alarming spike in infections is predicted as South Africans head into the winter season.
The Courage initiative in Hout Bay is an unprecedented collaboration between local businesspersons and community organisations. It is not only raising significant funds, it is managing a centralised, accountable food supply chain system. This volunteer model has proved it is sustainable and can last beyond the current Covid-19 crisis. It can easily be rolled out in other suburbs across South Africa and Courage is hoping its successful prototype will encourage others around the country as well as into Africa to do the same within their respective communities.
Key supporters of Courage are Pick n Pay, Checkers and Spar, which have generously collected food at their respective outlets. The balance of what is needed has been procurement and purchase of parcels from Pick n Pay which has offered logistics making for expeditious delivery to the most in need.
How it began:
Courage began as a drive to feed hungry people in a crisis. It soon became clear the large numbers of NGOs, schools, sports clubs, community groups and churches already working to feed people in Hout Bay during the Covid-19 crisis would achieve much more if they worked alongside experts in business who could help them secure a continuous donation of food to distribute. Aside from continuity of supply, business experts can provide secure storage for perishable and non-perishable stocks and can build and run data bases that identify and track needy families get them food regularly and stop unnecessary duplication. Ultimately, it also allows complete transparency and accountability for all donations. This means that community organisations are freed up to do what they do best – distribute to their needy beneficiaries.
What the Courage model achieves:
For NGOs and community organisations it brings expertise, governance and reach that one NGO cannot achieve on its own. For donors, the model lends credibility and confidence as everything is tracked and accounted for. Donor tax benefits are made easy to receive.
To support Ard’s quest to inject much needed funds into Courage and the organisations affiliated NGOs and charity drives, please donate via Quicket. For more information about Courage, click here.
Bringing the Courage story to life.
