Children’s home celebrates Dragon Boat food lifeline
A DONATION of essential food items and winter necessities by the consulate-general of the People’s Republic of China and the South Africa Soong Ching Ling Foundation to the Baphumelele Children’s Home in Khayelitsha and youth care facility in Ottery has been welcomed and referred to as a much-needed lifeline for the organisation.
The handover came in commemoration of the Dragon Boat Festival, a traditional Chinese festival celebrated with the children at the China House in Schaapkraal Road, Ottery. The Soong Ching Ling Foundation built the youth facility for the Baphumelele Children’s Home, called “China House”, in 2015.
Rosalia Mashale, founder and managing director at Baphumelele, said: “The donation is going to help the children very much. The impact will be visible, because now they will be having food almost every day instead of waiting for someone to donate, so that we can cook for them. Now, they will have assurance that there is food every day.”
The facility in Ottery provides skills development for about 24 young persons, while the Baphumelele Children’s Home provides housing to approximately 120 children.
“I reached out to them when we were really struggling. The donation that we had all these years dried up last year in November and we had to (nearly) close down all the projects, but I said no, let me reach out to our friends. I couldn’t really afford to pay the salaries of the people, couldn't afford to buy the food. From October up to today, we depended on donations of food.”
The donation would provide food security for approximately two to three months, she said.