A group of Cape Town volunteers are purchasing and delivering groceries and pharmaceuticals to senior citizens free of charge. The initiative is led by Kate Charter, a 19-year-old University of Cape Town business science student.
Charter, assisted by the Samson Institute For Ageing Research, created an online database pairing elderly citizens with volunteers in specific areas in the Mother City. The project started shortly after the first covid-19 case was reported and has already helped hundreds of elderly citizens.
According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases the elderly, individuals with some underlying health conditions as well as healthcare workers have been found to be at a higher risk of getting sick and dying after getting SARS-CoV-2, also known as the new coronavirus.
Their Facebook group, CTagainstCorona, mobilises Capetonians to tackle the crisis by helping others in need. Citizens continue to post positive messages on the group encouraging South Africans to stay optimistic. One of the messages posted says, “We are only as safe as the most vulnerable around us. Our interests are inextricably intertwined, and we only have each other.”
Volunteers are encouraged to sign up and those older than 50 can also sign up to receive free grocery or pharmaceuticals delivered directly to their homes.
