Durban - Mandela Day came early for the children at Qalakahle Early Childhood Development in Durban on Wednesday when The Daily News and Bidvest Panalpina Logistics visited, bearing food donations and toys.
The Daily News Milk and Welfare Fund has been going for 82 years. It collects cash donations from the public, companies and Independent Newspapers’ staff, which is used to buy and distribute milk and milk powder to schools and crèches in KwaZulu-Natal.
Thanks to these donations, the Daily News team took with them milk and baby formula, plastic bowls and spoons for the centre.
Bidvest Panalpina Logistics, concerned at learning that many of the toddlers have to drink sugar water because baby formula is too expensive for their parents, donated boxes of skim milk powder and hot chocolate.
Qalakahle manager Jabulile Ngcobese was delighted that the Daily News had chosen them for its Mandela Day initiative, as she was concerned at the alarming number of toddlers surviving on a diet of sugar water.
“I am very happy and the children are so excited. This milk helps the children with their diet as some parents cannot afford formula and milk for their porridge,” she said.
The Qalakahle Early Childhood Development in Mansel Road, Durban. Video by Zainul Dawood
When the Daily News team arrived, the children screamed in excitement at the toys given to them to play with at the crèche.
Bidvest office services superviser Fay Hanslo said they were happy to donate to a worthy cause and would return next year.