Imtiaz Sooliman – Gift of the Givers has assisted an Eastern Cape community R2m in medical aid and food parcels.
AI: Summary ©
The hosts of a show acknowledge the challenges faced by the Eastern Cape community due to drought, poor agricultural conditions, and lack of water. They emphasize the need for infrastructure and assistance for farmers and workers, and the hospitalization of many workers and mental health issues. The speakers emphasize the importance of donating food and maintaining contact with the government, and the success of their efforts is being rewarded. They also mention upcoming events and donating for COVID-19, and discuss the impact of the pandemic on people and their families.
AI: Summary ©
And we're going across now to be joined by the founder of the gift
of the givers, doctor imkea Suliman, and this comes against
the background of the Eastern Eastern Cape community being
assisted with medical aid in food puzzles. Doctor imkeyas, assalamu.
Alaikum, as always. Welcome to the show. Walaikum. Salaam.
Warahmatullah, yes, sir. Doctor Kims, let's just talk about the
Eastern Cape. And obviously the it's been an area where there has
been a lot of focus. There have been many issues. There have been
water issues, but also in terms of poverty, and I think more
importantly, the drought stricken community has suffered
extensively. Are we talking about an area that I know quite well,
which is Aberdeen, which is, you know, part of the ECU region. So
just give us some information, some background as to the need in
that area.
The needs are absolutely huge. You know, the jobs funded around 2015
but progressively got worse as a dam, they also decreasing by 2019
and then we intervene in Wakanda in 2019
and we're still there because ready in the association plant the
extend of five systems. We're putting more water lines in, and
we and plotting more water drinkers. But in that whole
region, at the rate, you know, from, I mean, Makanda, as they
Adelaide bexford Promise, further down, bottle, with Tala, and
there's so many other areas, there's there's huge requirements
in terms of water associated with that, of course, what the water
be? Inefficient and insufficient, and no water for fodder, and no
fodder and no water for grazing. There's no crops and no grass.
There's been a loss of a loss of animal lines. A lot of animals
have died, which means the farmer's incomes have been
affected, but the farmers income being affected. A lot of the farm
workers have been put off. But then being put off, the money has
been, not been enough to situate in the economy. So many, many
shops and centers have grown and also because of minimal tourists
in the area, because Eastern Cape is highly dependent on tourism,
both local and international. A lot of bed and breakfasts closed,
and with that, a lot of franchise stores, you know, a franchise
restaurant also closed. So the overall monophone effect has been
huge in terms of job losses, difficulty, mental depression,
hardship. Animals are dying, the farmers themselves in great
difficulty. I mean, yesterday alone, you know, our trucks went
to Aberdeen, and we delivered food parcels, 475
food parcels for farm workers and for farmers. The farmers have now
come up and said, Look, they have no food to feed our families. And
yet, at one stage, they had 1000s of animals, big raising rents,
hectares of rain, and now it's nothing. And you know, we have to
provide them. And coming this week, we're going to be providing
a summer support for other farmers and other farm workers in the
area. That's the one aspect. The other aspect is that the hospital
started calling us from the last two weeks in desperation, and you
can see they are so depressed, the CEOs and the medical staff, they
said, Look, there's no food in hospitals. We can't feed patients.
There's no budget. And the MEC did tell me earlier in January, she
said, look the way, you know, I've come into a portfolio and there's
no money, and there's so much motivation against the government,
it's like 4.4 billion outstanding in health claims. So all that is
affecting the budget. So there's no money. Covid has decimated the
health budget, and there's no standard CEOs called. There's no
food, there's no salary, pets, there's no adult diapers, no day
diapers, no relevancy, no PPS, medical staff, no non topometers
and no cost proximity. And so many other hospitals need balls, so
some other hospital needs infrastructure upgrades. And so we
decided, okay, we're going to do something for you guys. And today,
at 11 o'clock, there's 33 hospital studies, and they've driving from
six to seven hours away from far as battle with East London in
what's in makawani issue hospital rest and a whole range of
different places to come and collect this basic food stuff, and
all the things that I meant for the patients and the spouse the
premier has been, I must say, the relationship with the sang
government is incredible. They have no issues normally, to donate
to govern this institution. The headache, you know, there's so
much of paperwork. There's no paperwork, no forms, nothing. The
premier should give us a call to say, You know what, I really
appreciate what you're doing, and we're going to make sure that
somebody higher from government will be there. The chief work in
Parliament also sent a message to say, thank you very much. And
actually she was with us two days ago in Cape Town. And she also
instructed Eastern Cape government to send family. So today, the NE
of health itself will be there. The HOD also wanted to come, but
she has to represent the MEC now at another function with MS
Kendrick to be with us and and when, when the doctors heard
first, only the drivers were coming to collect the food, when
the doctors heard that embassy is coming to our warehouse, they said
they want to discuss the health issues in Eastern Cape. So we're
using our warehouse as a missing point for the ABC and all the
doctors to raise their concerns. There's going to be a very, very
important morning to.
A you know, to show this partnership with government. Of
course, the covid are suffering us. The public is supporting us
and the way forward to try to make a better life for the people in
recent game. Well, certainly, Doctor MPs, we definitely will be
following these developments today, because from what you've
described, the need is dire. And it's not only about the near the
the the relief that has been granted right now, but it does
appear it's going to be a long term and it's going to be a
sustainable project. Yes, you know, we've upgraded a lot of
hospitals. We're already given contracts for upgraded for more
so, and we're focusing quite a bit on doctors facilities, because a
lot of the infection comes in when the doctors let down the guard and
out of the ICU and out of the covid Awards, and you come into
the small rooms of four ventilation that's when infection
can spread. So we are upgrading a lot of facilities like that now,
because, in addition to that, we are breeding wards and emergency
departments and, you know, putting up oxygen points. So I I'm hoping
within the next week we can start another break is going to cost us
close to 2.5 million. You know, in Alice hospital, we've done an
upgrade there. I mean, in Victoria Hospital, in Alice, we've done it,
and we may look at somebody at the TB hospital, the missus quarters
in Adelaide, as the funding comes through. And also, I got a donor
that's funded. You know, the success substantially several
boreholes. You know that the teams already at the building site, the
drilling teams, have already visited several of those hospitals
where there's no water, and hopefully within the next week,
they can start building the balls, you know, for for the hospitals,
which will serve the hospital and the community. And then, in
addition to that, I've been speaking to pharmaceutical
companies, and normally, again, it's such a prom to donate, you
know, short dated medicines to hospitals every six months. I
mean, you have the volume of patients to finish it in two
weeks, and it has been a problem. Now they can become mistake. Look,
we don't even have money for medicines. We will take anything
we get as long as six months and and later expired, and our first 2
million Rand of contributions coming from Austin, the bolus will
be there next week, Tuesday. Well, Inshallah, we definitely will
follow developments, doctor, MPs, and as always, we do appreciate
you taking time out and talking to us here on salaam media. We wish
you. We wish gift of the givers, all the best. Inshallah, Allah,
except ALLAH, reward your efforts. Assalamu. Alaikum. I mean,
that was Doctor Suleyman, and the time he's just gone, 9am we're
going for the live crossing over to tabile Duma, who is on standby
at Al ansa.