In marking World Food Day on 16 October, The GE Foundation announced a $100 000 donation that will provide immediate relief to South African communities experiencing food insecurity.

The donation will fund FoodForward SA and help to provide more than 20 000 people with one meal a day for a year in the Soweto and Alexandra townships.

In addition to the organisation’s donation, GE employees can support relief efforts through its 1:1 Matching Gifts Programme.

“GE employees who make eligible donations to FoodForward SA or other participating charities can register for a match with the GE Foundation’s Matching Gifts programme, which supports employees’ personal philanthropy and charitable giving by providing a 1:1 match.” said GE Southern Africa president Nyimpini Mabunda.

Since the onset of the pandemic, GE and partners have supported South African communities.

GE has donated over R7-million worth of personal protective equipment and healthcare equipment has been donated to eight hospitals in Mpumalanga, Free State, Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape.

GE is also constructing a community primary healthcare clinic in Mpumalanga, which is expected to be completed in 2022.

The clinic will deliver a full primary healthcare service including 24-hour emergency and Covid-19 testing.  

Mabunda stated that GE believes that addressing immediate physiological needs, such as providing stable access to food at this challenging time, is as critical as health responses in the battle against Covid-19.