African Deli, a manufacturing company based in Walvis Bay in the Erongo Region, on Monday donated a total number of 13 585 boxes of processed beef tripe in gravy and chilli sauce worth over N.dollars 1 million (N.dollars 1 078 836.00) to the Ministry of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare.
Handing over the donation, as part of its social responsibility, African Deli’s Production Manager, Lameck Kambarami said the donation is to ease the pressure on government’s fight towards poverty eradication.
He explained that the company have taken note of the shortage of nutritional food for the non-income and lower income groups in the country, hence the donation, which is ready to eat, and a source of zinc and protein.
‘ The product is befitting for these communities due to its shelf stable qualities, no refrigeration needed,’ he added.
Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare Zephania Kameeta who received the donation said the gesture illustrates part of the idea of the formation of the food bank, as an institution that will receive food donations from the private sector, international donors and individuals.
He expressed that at the moment government is shouldering the burden on a monthly basis therefore it is a relief to get the donation.
“It should however be noted that the donation we are witnessing here today doesn’t mean or imply that this is the only way to eradicate poverty. We need to ensure that we encourage and educate our people, to send children to school,” stressed Kameeta.
Those with skills, he said must be identified and be employed or employ others, those with resources must create sustainable opportunities for the rest, and deploy their resources to the less privileged.
He further pointed out that if people had the spirit of giving and sharing with the less fortunate then that ministry would not have existed to oversee the distribution of food.
The food bank has so far benefited 17 000 people since its inception in April 2016.