Standard Bank assists community with food vouchers
Many South Africans live on social grants, with no additional sources of income. The Covid-19 pandemic brought with it the unprecedented economic lockdown, which severely limited economic activity and face-to-face human interaction.
In the face of a world pandemic which put into sharp focus challenges around food security and job losses, Standard Bank in Mpumalanga Province made available food vouchers, redeemable at local shops. This came as a relief to those who were not able to put food on the table.
“We understand that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on communities in the province of Mpumalanga. A lot of households were affected by the lockdown. With this in mind, working with NGOs, local supermarkets and spaza shops, we made available 100 virtual food vouchers.” explains Theunis Duvenhage at Standard Bank.
Food insecurity was rife during the extended lockdown. Hunger and desperation have pushed many to the edge, with almost daily reports of supermarkets, spaza shops and trucks being looted. In order to build resilient communities, the relief of hunger is at the heart of our corporate social investment (CSI) programmes.
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Standard Bank donated food vouchers to the value of R100 000, for the benefit of informal traders affected by the lockdown, based in the informal settlement of Marikana, in Govan Mbeki Local Municipality. For transparency, the authorities ensured that each voucher was numbered and that the recipients provided accurate contact information.
“This was a very tough and unusual year for many households, yet we truly hope that these food vouchers provided some welcome relief, and that no one went to bed on an empty stomach,” concludes Theunis Duvenhage at Standard Bank.
Standard Bank is committed to sustainable socio-economic development of local communities and productive citizenship, that contributes to the economic growth in Mpumalanga Province.
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