Selokela Molamodi
20 July 2024
The disaster relief program continues in Magwaveni as community members continue to navigate life after a tornado hit the area over a month ago. ActionAid has restored dignity and justice through various programs in partnership with City Hope.
This week, the program focused on mental health for men and the disabled, donation of food parcels, menstrual education for young girls, and fun days for kids. During the week, the ActionAid team hosted numerous therapy sessions with community members to unpack the effects of the tornado on their lives. “I have been struggling to sleep since that day and I no longer feel like myself,” one of them said while waiting in the queue. There were both group sessions and individual sessions.
The distribution of food parcels began on Friday. Men were the first group to receive the parcels as they were much less in numbers. 34-year-old Mkhululi Sabelo was one of the recipients. “This will make my life a little easier because I will not have to worry about food for the next few days,” he said.
The ActionAid team also organized a fun weekend for the children of Magwaveni. On Friday, more than 50 children spent their afternoon enjoying the jumping castle. After that, they received hotdogs, ice-lollies, lollipops and fruit before they headed home with their parents. Project lead Zandile Motsoeneng led most of the activities while the rest of the team prepared the meals and looked after the children.
On Saturday, more families came from Magwaveni to collect food parcels at the Fairbreeze grounds, next to Fairbreeze secondary school. While the adults queued outside waiting to be verified at the registration desk, the children had another fun time on the jumping castle. Teenagers were educated and entertained as they participated in a menstrual workshop hosted by Qrate. The day was the true epitome of family fun. The hype of activity continued throughout the day.