28 Jul 2016

Food plays an important role in people’s bodies as they need the energy to take them through daily activities and proper nutrition is essential for a healthier lifestyle.

Thus, Tonota East Farmers Committee chairperson, Mr Nchenge Mogapi said during a donation of food hampers to SOS Children’s village on Wednesday that they saw it fit to share their harvest with the village to show their compassion.

Mr Chenge said the donation was in line with one of the Vision 2016 pillars of a compassionate, just and caring nation, adding that the committee, which consists of all chairpersons and secretaries of other 10 ward committees in Tonota, has made it one of their mandates to donate to the less privileged some of their harvested produce. 

He said the committee also heard of the One Pula One Child One Million campaign on the national radio and they could not think of another way of contributing than donating food as they grow crops.

The donation consisted of one goat, 150kg sorghum, 87.5kg beans, 40 kgsamp, 400kg sorghum, 25kg flour, 12.5kg morogo wa dinawa and 12.5kg sugar.

Mr Mogapi said he hopes the donation would benefit the village and they wish to continue helping where possible. 

He encouraged the nation to continue helping the less privileged as the giving hand was  always considered blessed than the receiving one.

By so doing, he said that encourages unity amongst people.

Tonota Sub-District ouncil assistant district AIDS coordinator Mr Shathiso Daki commended the committee for their donation, adding that he hopes the nutritious food adds to the healthy lifestyle of children and that they would continue to lead by example.

“It is upon us to take care of each other and the village needs help just like all people and we should help them whole heartedly as we are helping to build our future leaders,” he said.

He appreciated the job done by the elders at the village saying it was not easy to raise another person’s child. 

SOS Children’s Village marketing officer, Mr Johannes Bonthogile said the food came at a time when they needed it the most.

“Taking care of the village children is a challenge and with food prices going high everyday, sometimes we find ourselves in a tight corner of reducing some of the things not to exceed the budget,” he said.

He added the food would help their constrained budget, noting that their estimated monthly budget of taking care of 161 children in the village was P1.6 million. Ends