The elderly in the Moses /Garoëb Constituency have expressed gratitude to the Khomas Regional Council for providing them food parcels, which they believe would help reduce hunger in their homes.

A total of 50 beneficiaries from the Havana informal settlement received the food items from constituency councillor Stefanus Ndengu yesterday. The food items included maize meal, rice, pasta, canned fish, cooking oil, and condiments.

“I am grateful to our leaders for giving us this food because it will make a positive impact in our lives,” said Tuwilika Ileka, who lives with six other people she says are all dependant on her monthly old-age pension.

“We survive like birds, like when we are given food like this or when I receive my monthly pension. Luckily, I am also a beneficiary of the food bank, which supplements the little food I buy with my pension.”

Hilma Gebhard also expressed gratitude, saying she and her eleven family members survive on income from the sale of kapana.

“I have a full house of eleven people who are not working and I don’t receive a pension or benefit from the food bank. But I am grateful for the food I received. It really means a lot for me and my family, because as we are talking now, there is no food in the house,” said Gebhard.

Another beneficiary, Katrina Gaoes, said the food items will feed her family of five for several days. “I am very grateful for the food we received because it will cater for my family for a week or two. We can eat nice food with all this beautiful food, and I am grateful,” said Gaoses, a pensioner whose family relies on her monthly pension grant for survival.

Councillor Ndengu said the food donation means a lot to the beneficiaries. “Although it is not going to alleviate hunger permanently, the food will help the beneficiaries and their families,” he said.

He said the food donation valued at N$20 000, was meant to have been handed out during Christmas last year but was delayed due to the procurement process. - Nampa