In collaboration with Boikanyo the Dion Herson Foundation, e’Pap has handed out 2,565,000 adult meal portions from March to July 2020. Our motto for our COVID-19 relief work was: Calm, Care, Connect, Share.
Founded by Marilyn Bassin, Boikanyo helps children with cerebral palsy and other vulnerable populations to ensure food security among the African people. During these tough times, we believe in the importance of improving their nutritional status through our porridge and resolving issues of stunting (development is impaired because of poor nutrition or repeated infections), malnutrition, etc.
e’Pap’s rural campaign during lockdown all started when our founder, Rosemary Kransdorff, received a letter from the Anglican Diocese in Sophiatown to assist homeless men staying at the Hillbrow Recreation Centre. As the City of Johannesburg and Gauteng could feed those in urban areas, e’Pap focused on areas further along the edges of the city. The moment we discovered that the men were hungry and very little food had been delivered in the past four days, e’Pap sent out 10,000 meal portions to the entire Hillbrow street, with 2000 portions (200 kilograms of instant porridge) going to the Recreation Centre, along with disinfectant, cleaning materials, masks, and other necessities.
Sharing photos of Hillbrow’s Centre spurred donors across the world into action, enabling the e’Pap Foundation to prepare 200 hot meals for the men with the help of Italian deli SuperSconto, who provided raw ingredients. As donations came in, we prepared 530 Easter gift packs with essentials and treats for the men to enjoy during those difficult days.
