Our
homeless are in desperate need of urgent help during the national
lockdown. Completely unable
to eke out a living, they are now more vulnerable than ever. If we, as a
nation, don’t act soon, there will be death and disaster that rivals
the carnage being caused by the coronavirus.
For seven days now SDI Force has done an incredible job, harnessing the power of its uberised
platforms to assist government by delivering food and hygiene products in a Covid-compliant manner.
Operating
off an existing logistics framework created for Supplier Development
Initiatives (SDI),
SDI Force functions as a non-profit, emergency relief programme during
this national crisis. But the fund set up to finance this is running
low, and without additional funding, these efforts can’t continue for
much longer. What’s needed now is an urgent injection
of cash from across South Africa, and in particular from the corporate
environment. Businesses big and small need to come to the party and
donate generously on the Unity Values website:
https://www.unityvalues.com/sdi.
On
a national level, there is a large amount of money being pumped into
other Covid-19-related funds,
and whilst this shows how big South African hearts are, it is taking
far too long for this cash to be released and used in emergency efforts.
Donations to the SDI Force fund, however, are released immediately to
aid operational costs and, most importantly,
buy food packs for these starving citizens. What goes in tonight is
used tomorrow morning to help save lives. Every cent has an immediate,
life-changing effect.
Johannesburg
has 15 000 homeless who are in need of urgent attention. These people
are scared, hungry
and desperate, and this uncertainty has created a powder keg that could
soon be out of control. The situation is critical, but we can still
make a difference. Initially SDI Force looked at delivering R1000 food
packs to help families over a length of time,
but now the focus has shifted to creating smaller three-day relief
packs. “If we can raise the funds to deliver these then we can keep the
wolf from the door,” explains Andile Ramaphosa, SDI Force Co-Founder.
“But time is running out and the situation is starting
to look worrying. We can’t appeal loudly enough: we need help.”
“We
are fortunate to have a tried-and-tested, world-class operating system
in place,” says Brad Fisher, ADreach Managing
Director and SDI Co-Founder. “As such, we have quickly turned SDI into
an effective tool to help with relief efforts. But there is only so much
we can do without further funding. “Both Ramaphosa and Fisher have
committed their time for free, and whilst the
primary focus is on providing food and sanitation, if more money is
raised, then the plan is to re-train SDI micro-suppliers, like
waste-pickers and Sweep South cleaners, and give them the skills to be
deployed as sanitising personnel. Part of this extra funding
will also be channelled into homeless shelters, protective gear and
warm wear to keep out the cold.
Because of SDI Force’s
national
footprint, it is in a unique position to roll these efforts out across
the country, and
talks are already underway with the authorities to investigate ways for
the initiative to provide real support to operations throughout South
Africa. Every delivery is done according to very strict safety criteria,
fully compliant with all measures and restrictions
imposed during the national lockdown.
Time
is running out. We all need to act, and we need to act now. The
on-the-ground situation is critical,
but SDI Force has the expertise and experience to make a difference and
save lives. This is what they do best. As South Africans, we cannot
stand by and watch as our fellow citizens die of starvation. If there’s
one thing that this awful virus has taught us,
it’s that we are connected on so many levels, and that an injury to one
is an injury to all. So please, donate urgently, and help the homeless.
To contribute to Emergency Relief Items such as food packs, Covid-19 Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE), shelter, sleeping bags or apparel, please make a donation through
https://www.unityvalues.com/sdi
For corporates to support equipment provision or repurposing of existing equipment to be Covid-compliant for micro-suppliers to do their work, please contact Laura on 083 468 3867.
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