The Bangladeshi community living in Cape Town has opened their hearts and wallets to locals going hungry during the Coronavirus lockdown.
Sixty Bangladeshi businessmen have donated truckloads of food worth R450 000 which will now be handed out in several communities.
The goods were delivered to Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato at the Parow Civic Centre on Friday afternoon, and Plato thanked the Bangladeshi community for their generosity.
He says: “I think this is a wonderful display of the warm community spirit that we have here in Cape Town.
HELP: 1000 hampers will be given to NGOs, soup kitchens
“The Bangladeshi community have opened their hearts at a time of great need.
“This Coronavirus is something that we all need to fight against, and I am very grateful for everyone who has come forward with donations for those in need during this difficult time.”
Montasim Rahman, senior representative of the Bangladeshi community, says they approached local community leader, Anton Peacock, who in turn contacted the mayor’s office so that residents could benefit from the much-needed food items.
“We are not alone in this, we have to face this situation together,” says Montasim.
“We appreciate these residents and it was the right thing to do to give back to the community.”
He said it took them a week to gather the goods and they could not reach the entire Cape Bangladeshi people to donate due to the lockdown.
The donated goods include items such as flour, maize, sugar, baked beans, rice, cooking oil, porridge and soap, among others.
GENEROUS: 60 Bangladeshi businessmen collected goods
Plato says the goods would be made up into 1000 hampers and handed over to NGOs and soup kitchens across the Cape Metro, “who were best placed to provide a warm meal to vulnerable communities in need”.
“We must not underestimate this virus,” said Plato.
“This virus is a killer. Yesterday, in one country, 900 people died in one day.
“I fear that most of our people don’t take it seriously. We must take this seriously, like we did our water crisis.”
Plato said that donations during this uncertain time are greatly appreciated. To donate email [email protected]
.