ERP: Community Relief Programme

In the wake of devastation to poor people in rural areas caused by the South African government's ongoing COVID-19 shutdown, ERP has mobilized an EPI-USE-funded campaign with generous support from the James Banks Foundation, to feed the hungry in communities near our existing and planned land projects. Deliveries to nine communities have been ongoing in recent days. The campaign will run over three months, and we expect to deliver an effective 1 million meals during that period.

Ndumo Orphans Feeding Scheme

ERP has once again been able to purchase and deliver e’Pap to the Ndumo orphans, whilst also supporting the caregivers responsible for distributing the e’Pap to these 400 vulnerable children. This time around, we added 40 children to the list of beneficiaries, living 30km from Ndumo. These 40 children have been supported, to date, in spite of many challenges, through the dedication and fundraising efforts of a local Counselor, Johnson Gwala. The caregivers took charge of the distribution of food under challenging circumstances, considering the widespread location of these children throughout the area.

Vaalwater COVID-19 fending scheme

ERP provided e'Pap portions during the COVID-19 lockdown to distribute to families with unemployed breadwinners, in need of basic food. We focused on the elderly and frail that are particularly vulnerable, along with children who no longer receive daily meals that were provided at school. The e'Pap portions are distributed through the ERP funded Waterberg Welfare Society.

To date, a total of 60,500kg/14 000 lb of e'Pap have been distributed as breakfast meal portions, whilst over 175 prepared lunch meals have been provided. In addition, food parcels have been provided to 844 needy households spread over three villages in Vaalwater, made up largely of retrenched and unemployed farmworkers who have been left in dire circumstances.
This food distribution exercise has been implemented in partnership with Lapalala Wilderness School and the Department of Social Development, with funding provided from an application to the HCI Foundation (sponsored through ENCA).

ERP Feeding Rhino Programme

ERP feeds the rhinos in some of our rhino safe havens. We provide them with a highly nutritious diet that consists of Lucerne bales and rhino cubes – a pellet form food. The rhino cubes are formulated per specific area with all the vitamins, salts and nutrition that the veldt lacks in the dry winter months, especially in areas that are overgrazed.

The supplementary nutrition keeps the animals’ condition perfect throughout the year. This is also important for animals that have calves, as the mothers tend to lose condition a lot faster from feeding calves.

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