"When you lose everything that you've worked hard for, it's like your entire world just crumbles away," says Thuleka Mbeka, one of those affected by the recent Grabouw fires.
"You don't know which way to go and who to ask for help. The worst is having to answer for your children who want to know where they will sleep or when they will get their next meal. Mustadafin has helped us with warm food, parcels, clothing and blankets. They really took some of the stress off of our shoulders," adds Mbeka.
Warm clothes, personal belongings and essential groceries were all immediately taken away for many residents in the Waterworks informal settlement after a devastating fire that swept through Grabouw on Friday, 1 July. Up to 66 homes were destroyed in the blaze, leaving more than 250 people displaced by the fire.
Following this devastation, community halls within the Theewaterkloof Municipality have been opened for emergency accommodation for those affected. Relief efforts are still ongoing.
"It is crucial that we get these essential supplies to those affected by the fires as soon as possible, especially as these residents have been left without a home during these cold winter months," says Ghairunisa Johnstone-Cassiem, director of Mustadafin.
"We will also be continuing our work with the great Grabouw community as poverty in this region has increased over recent years," concludes Johnstone-Cassiem.
Individuals wanting to support Mustadafin's relief efforts in Grabouw can donate blankets, clothing and food items at the foundation's head office, which is located at 154 Antelope Court Bridgetown, Cape Town.
More details and methods are available
here.
For more information, visit
www.mustadafin.org.za. You can also follow Mustadafin on
Facebook.