Abraham Kriel Bambanani pleads for support as the need increases further
Since the start of the Covid-19 lockdown in South Africa, the number of beneficiaries who rely on Abraham Kriel Bambanani (AKB) for survival has quadrupled, placing the organisation’s resources under enormous pressure.
At the start of the lockdown, AKB provided 605 children and youth in the communities of Westbury and Soweto with a daily meal. However, these numbers tripled to 1 781 within a few weeks, with entire families now also in need of food.
At the start of the lockdown, the decision was made to replace daily meals with food parcels.
“The estimation was that the food parcels would last for a month, but barely ten days later we started receiving the first desperate calls for help,” says Paul Momsen, Abraham Kriel Bambanani’s CEO. “Because other family members (whose income sources had also dried up) now shared in the parcels, the food had run out much sooner.”
In addition, hundreds more people were begging for food when the team delivered the newly packed food parcels. Fortunately, AKB received a major donation of bread, potatoes and maize that they were able to distribute to another 860 people.
In addition, the organisation was also able to provide their Grade 12 learners with data (and even a cell phone) donated by donors for the learners to continue their studies.
A big thank you from Abraham Kriel Bambanani
“Throughout this challenging time, the big heart of the South African public has once again become evident,” says Momsen. “The management and staff of AKB would like to thank everyone who helped us provide to those in desperate need.
“The organisation is deeply grateful for the support and donations and thank you, also, for caring about all our normal programmes that continue under increasingly difficult circumstances,” says Momsen.
“It is a privilege to be used as the hands and feet of caring South Africans now and for as long as it is needed. As Christians, we see it as a duty bestowed by God to reach out to our fellow South Africans enduring terrible hardship. Thank you for entrusting us with your funds and goods to be distributed for the benefit of desperately needy people.”
How to support Abraham Kriel Bambanani
The lockdown and the economic hardships are far from over, and the organisation continues to appeal to donors to assist, where possible. To find out more about Abraham Kriel Bambanani, please call Hilda du Toit on (082) 894-2458.
Abraham Kriel Bambanani pleit om ondersteuning terwyl nood verder toeneem
Sedert die instelling van die Covid-19 grendelstaat in Suid-Afrika, het die getal mense wat op Abraham Kriel Bambanani (AKB) om oorlewing staatmaak, viervoudig vermeerder. Dit plaas geweldige druk op dié organisasie se hulpbronne.
Aan die begin van die inperking het AKB ‘n daaglikse maaltyd verskaf aan 605 kinders en jeugdiges verbonde aan die gemeenskapsprogramme in Westbury en Soweto. Hierdie getal het binne ‘n paar weke tot 1 781 verdriedubbel, aangesien hul gesinne ook nou gevoed moes word.
Die besluit is ook geneem om die daaglikse maaltye met kospakkies te vervang.
“Ons het uitgewerk dat die kospakkies genoeg sou wees vir ’n maand, maar skaars tien dae later het die eerste hulpkrete al opgeklink,” sê Paul Momsen, Abraham Kriel Bambanani se Uitvoerende Hoof. “Aangesien ander gesinslede se inkomstebronne opgedroog het, het hulle ook nou die kospakkies gedeel.”
Daarbenewens, as die AKB-span die kospakkies gaan aflewer, het nóg honderde honger mense om hulp gevra. Gelukkig het Abraham Kriel Bambanani ’n ruimskootse skenking van brood, aartappels en mieliemeel ontvang, wat hulle onder ‘n bykomende 860 mense kon versprei.
Intussen kon die organisasie ook, danksy donateurs, die Graad 12-leerders in hul programme van data (en selfs ‘n selfoon) te voorsien, sodat hulle hul studies kon voortsit.
Abraham Kriel Bambanani sê ‘baie dankie’
“Suid-Afrika se groot hart klop deurgaans sterk met liefde vir sy medemens,” sê Momsen.
“Die bestuur en personeel van AKB wil graag almal bedank wat dit moontlik gemaak het dat ons aan soveel mense kon hulp verleen.
“Ons organisasie is baie dankbaar vir die finansiële steun en donasies, en is ook dankbaar dat ons steun ontvang het om ons normale programme te kon voortsit in hierdie moeilike omstandighede,” sê Momsen.
“Dit is ‘n voorreg om die hande en voete te wees van Suid-Afrikaners wat omgee, nou en vir so lank as wat dit nodig mag wees. As Christene, sien ons dit as ‘n Godgegewe plig om uit te reik na ons medemense in tye van swaarkry. Dankie dat u ons vertrou met u fondse en goedere vir verspreiding onder mense wat in wanhopige nood verkeer.”
Hoe om Abraham Kriel Bambanani te ondersteun
Die inperking en ekonomiese swaarkry is lank nog nie verby nie, en Abraham Kriel Bambanani vra steeds dat donateurs hulle sal ondersteun, waar moontlik. Om meer te leer oor Abraham Kriel Bambanani, skakel asseblief vir Hilda du Toit by (082) 894-2458.
