Cape Town - 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.
At the centre, youth are taught independent living skills and produce items to sell such as sanitary towels (disposable and reusable) and bar soaps. Young persons are also taught basic computer skills and gardening with the produce then sold to co-ops to sustain some of its programmes.
Foundation chairperson Chen Qinq said: “Because we are working here and living here, so I think we’re part of South Africa as well. That's why we supported the children’s home so that we can help them to grow nicely.”
Consul-general You Wenze said: “We need to care about the disadvantaged people and in China we do the same. So here in Cape Town, together with the foundation, we did this.”