The Walmart Foundation contribution forms part of Game Stores Amalunchbox initiative, launched in 2008, to provide fully equipped container kitchens to under-resourced schools. Commenting on the day, Jay Porter, Walmart integration executive said, "Thank you for allowing The Walmart Foundation to participate in celebrating a great man and continue to support Tata's legacy of kindness and community empowerment."
Massmart chief executive, Grant Pattison added, "From the outset Walmart has wanted to make a contribution to the development of South African society that goes beyond operating retail stores and quickly identified the Amalunchbox container kitchen programme as a vehicle for making a broader social impact. It's fantastic that we have been able to start the rollout of the project on Madiba's birthday."
The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, said, "We are very pleased with the contribution of these kitchens and I am extremely happy that this donation is taking place on Nelson Mandela's birthday. It is through these collaborative relationships between government and business that we are able to realise Mandela's dream for the children of South Africa."
Each kitchen is fitted with a gas burner, a double bowl sink, cupboards, stainless steel counters, shelving, cooking pots, cooking utensils and enough mugs, plates, knives, forks and spoons for every child.
Over 800 Pick n Pay staff at the Cape Town head office dedicated their 67 minutes to making a difference to the 70 children who attend the Lindokuhle Educare Centre. The meals will ensure that these children are fed every day for the next six months.
"Through our team's dedication we were able to pack enough to guarantee that each child at the crèche is ensured of a nutritious daily meal of rice, soya, vegetables and added vitamins for six months," said Suzanne Ackerman-Berman Pick n Pay's transformation director.
"This means the school can use what little money they raise for ECD registration so that their teachers can be properly trained. However, this is very tip of the iceberg in terms of their needs - while we were aware that Lindokuhle was in need of assistance, we were deeply saddened by the condition of the facility.
Nothing prepared us for the state of the building and the dreadful ablution facilities for the 70 children - ages six months to school going - and six teachers. After having been faced with this for the first time, we immediately committed to doing as much as we possibly can to making this a more secure and sustainable environment for these young children. We were also incredibly humbled by the warm welcome we received from the various community and traditional leaders, which I believe goes to the very heart of what Madiba envisaged for a unified South Africa."
Besides delivering 22 000 meals, the team also delivered huge boxes of toys and books - much to the delight of the little ones (all donated by employees) - blankets, carpet tiles, storage containers and 20 mattresses. Ackerman-Berman pledges there will be a lot more to follow.
This initiative formed part of Pick n Pay's Madiba Day national employee drive that saw over 80 000 meals being packed and distributed to early development centres around the country last week.
