As we all mark World Hunger Day later this month, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the global hunger crisis and finding sustainable solutions, Woolworths is proud to announce a three-year partnership commitment to six community-based NGOs. These organisations play a vital role in supporting access to food and empowering local, agri-entrepreneurs, particularly in rural areas.
The six organisations that Woolworths is partnering with are ForAfrika, INMED South Africa, Siyazisiza Trust, Social Change Assistance Trust, Thanda, and Timbali Technology Incubator. They were all initially identified to receive R2.2 million from Woolworths’ 2021 ‘Christmas Give’ campaign and the retailer was motivated to forge deeper partnerships supported by a funding commitment to the value of R8.4 million to them as part of its #ZEROHUNGER campaign to make a lasting difference in the fight against hunger in South Africa.
With the Woolworths Christmas campaign funding, Timbali Technology Incubator has made a significant impact by supporting 20 women farmers to improve their farming practices in the Nkomazi district in Mpumalanga. Through valuable skills transfer, mentorship and assisting in obtaining interest-free loans, the 20 women farmers recorded sales to the value of R1.4 million in 2022. There was a significant increase of 22,5% in incremental revenues in the last quarter of 2022 which resulted in 50 jobs being sustained.
Photo above (supplied): Timbali farmer Zanele Lubisi
Siyazisiza Trust’s Amadiba Agroecology Programme has also used their initial Woolworths funding to train 30 young people and 254 small-scale farmers in sustainable agricultural practices in the Eastern Cape. The Programme has positively impacted 284 direct beneficiaries, 30 of which are youth and over 2200 indirect beneficiaries by providing them access to locally produced, nutritious fresh food. Produce sales for the 30 young farmers have soared from R203,235 to R380,520 and 80% of the farmers use their vegetable gardens for their household food needs and income.
For over three decades, Woolworths has been actively working to create a positive and sustainable impact to alleviate hunger in South Africa. The company firmly believes that food security and access to food are fundamental human rights, and the absence of these rights highlights the glaring inequalities present in our society. By aligning its efforts with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 2 of a #ZEROHUNGER FUTURE by 2030, Woolworths further expresses its commitment to inclusive justice and ensuring we leave no one behind.
Through this partnership, Woolworths and the six NGO organizations will collaborate on specific projects aimed at addressing food insecurity and supporting local agri-entrepreneurs. These efforts will focus on providing access to nutritious food in predominating rural areas, promoting and teaching sustainable food gardening and farming practices to improve access to food and support early childhood centres, as well as empowering individuals especially the youth and small-holder farmers to become self-sufficient and increase their harvest, markets and income.
Speaking about this commitment, Woolworths Director of Corporate Affairs Zinzi Mgolodela stated, “At Woolworths, we recognize the urgency of our hunger crisis and the critical role that businesses can play in addressing it. We are proud to partner with these exceptional NGOs, who are aligned to our commitment to address food insecurity and support livelihoods. By combining our efforts, we believe we can make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and communities, as well as create meaningful change and contribute to building a more equitable society.”
Go to https://www.woolworths.co.za/content/look/making-a-difference/world-hunger-day-
infographic/_/A-cmp213340 for more info on Woolworths’ food security initiatives.
Featured photo (supplied): Siyazisiza farmers
