It’s post-Freedom Day but for these families and households, the shackles of poverty are still binding them. With the lockdown in place, the poverty line keeps on getting higher and higher. Loss of jobs and incomes have forced these families to live in extreme poverty as they can’t even afford basic needs and essentials. This propelled us and our friends at Kfm, to offer a share of R500 000 towards 50 struggling families in the Western Cape because #WeAreFamily and would like to offer our support to those in need.

Recipient 1: Natalie Porter

Natalie nominated herself to be one of the #WeAreFamily R10 000 recipients. She’s faced a string of bad luck and has been forced to deal with life’s many adversities. Natalie got scammed of her provident fund money after leaving her long-standing job by a so-called builder. She wanted to build a home for herself and her daughter but was left homeless and penniless by a scammer. When she tried to get back on her feet again, she lost her job before the national lockdown commenced. Natalie and her daughter rely on her father, who’s a pensioner, for school fees and other expenses. We’ve sent R10 000 to Natalie and her family.

Recipient 2: Ayesha Mokubetsane

Ayesha resigned from her job last year to take care of her sickly mother. She also has 4 children and her sister’s 5 children to look after. Her husband is the sole breadwinner but cannot work during the lockdown and therefore would not be able to receive a salary. Her sister is on drugs and lives on the streets. Their house burned down last year and are now living in a tiny Wendy house on someone’s property. We’ve sent Ayesha and her family R10 000 to assist during this difficult time.

Recipient 3: Gaynore Fortuin

Gaynore relies on her faith to get through this dark period. She is a single mother suffering from a chronic chest problem and one weak lung. She fears that she might contract the virus because of her health issues. She has 2 children, one of them is in varsity and needs a computer to be able to attend his online studies but Gaynore is unable to afford one. She feels helpless at the moment as she’s unable to provide for her children after turning everywhere looking for assistance. We’ve sent Gaynore R10 000 to assist her through this extremely difficult situation.

Recipient 4: Christelle Higgs

Christelle and her husband can’t work during the lockdown and are unable to claim from the UIF. They have a 10-month-old son and 6-year-old daughter to provide and care for. It’s an extremely difficult time for the family as they now have to rely on Christelle’s grandmother to assist them from her little government pension. We’ve sent R10 000 to Christelle and her family.

Recipient 5: Johan Jooste

Johan and his wife are struggling to provide food and essentials for their 4 children and Johan’s cousin, whom they took in. They have no income due to the lockdown and rely on their family members for essentials like food and electricity. They can’t afford rent. Johan’s children have to share 1 loaf of bread a day. Johan’s sister-in-law, Cindy Callanan, reached out to us for assistance. We’ve sent R10 000 to Johan and his family to help and support them during this difficult time.