The Chief Matsila Foundation, in partnership with the Gift of the Givers Foundation, came to the aid of dozens of residents who had suffered significant losses during a recent storm that destroyed houses and belongings in parts of Vhembe.
The storm wreaked havoc in villages such as Matsila, Njakanjaka, Mabidi, Bungeni, Nkuzana, Tshipuseni, Nwamatatani, Vhangani, and Hamasia Tshikwarani. The two foundations, led by traditional leader Chief Livhuwani Matsila and Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, joined forces to donate more than 100 food parcels to families affected by the disaster.
The handover ceremony, witnessed by traditional leaders from the affected villages and numerous community members, took place at the Matsila royal palace on Saturday, 30 November. During the event, the families received food hampers and essential supplies to sustain them until Christmas Day.
Seventy-seven-year-old Ms. Christinah Marageni from Hamasia Tshikwarani shared her ordeal, explaining that the roof of her five-room house was blown away during the storm. "It was raining heavily, and suddenly the roof was gone. All the food in the house was damaged, leaving us with nothing. No one in the family is employed, so we were left helpless. What happened here today has truly rescued us from hunger," she said.
Chief Livhuwani Matsila expressed his sympathy for the affected families, saying, "We were deeply moved to learn about the extensive losses suffered by many families as a result of the recent storms. We couldn't just sit back and act as if nothing had happened. That's when we reached out to our partners, the Gift of the Givers Foundation, for assistance. We are very grateful and indebted to them for their ongoing support during times of disaster."
Matsila emphasised that the initiative was not just about providing food parcels but also about restoring the dignity and confidence of those affected. "We know there is still a significant need for disaster relief, and we plan to continue assisting wherever possible. Most of the victims are struggling to repair their damaged houses, and we are currently assessing the extent of the damages to explore ways of helping with repairs to the affected infrastructure. We are also appealing to businesses to join us in this effort," Matsila added.