Update of August 26, 2022

 

It is currently winter in South Africa (our August corresponds to February there). The emergency has worsened again.

Tanya is planning a large food collection in cooperation with the non-profit organization VIVA. At least 500 families are to be supplied with basic foodstuffs in these difficult times.

You can use VIVA's German PayPal account:
germany@vivafoundation.life

or the donation account:

Viva Stiftung e.V.
Kreissparkasse Mayen
Vereinskonto e.V
DE14 5765 0010 0098 0440 19

If you would like a donation receipt for tax purposes, please enter your name and address in the payment reference and note that you need a donation receipt.

Many thanks if you join in.
Every donation is a blessing.

Sigrid and Martin

 

 

Tanya's Food Distribution in South Africa

The Christian-led Viva Foundation, with which Tanya now works in South Africa, has an account in Germany and can even issue you a German donation receipt. Attention: For this, please include your complete address in the payment reference.

Bank account:
Viva Foundation e.V.
Keltenstrasse 7, 56170 Bendorf, Germany
Payment reference: Viva School / Tanya's feeding of the poor
Sparkasse Mayen
IBAN: DE14576500100098044019
BIC: MALADE51MYN
 

More information: Website in English
E-mail: germany@vivafoundation.life 
 

Please note: For Gottes Haus, our statutes do not allow us to pass on finances to South Africa.
Therefore please not use the Gottes Haus donation account

 

Update of October 29, 2021

One of the most important projects of "Tanya's Feeding of the Poor" is the "Viva Independent School" in the slum settlement of Alaska (near Mamelodi, approx. 60 km north of Johannesburg, South Africa).

The private school offers needy, extremely poor children a high-quality Christian education. Currently the school goes up to grade 7 (the last year of what is called primary school there). Now there is the great challenge of expanding the school to the so-called upper level (high school), so that the children who are now in grade 7 can continue their schooling.

The level of violence (especially rape) in the public schools in the slum areas is terrible. Therefore, for the children who have so far been educated in the protected environment of a Christian school, life seems to be over, so to speak, if they now had to attend a public school. There, only about a third of the children finish school at all.

Everything is ready at Viva to continue as a high school. What is currently still missing are the finances for the salary of three upper-level teachers (together with all ancillary costs, approx. €3,000 per month).

Many thanks if you can help here – ideally with a fixed monthly contribution.

 

Update of June 17, 2021

Since the government cut the Covid-19 income support in February, many people have slipped into bitter poverty. With your donation, you feed people every day who otherwise have nothing to eat.

In June we were able to distribute:

  • 105 weekly food vouchers (feed a family of 4 for a week)
  • 300+ small food parcels (1 shopping bag full, which I distribute from my house when hungry people ring our doorbell)
  • 330 monthly food parcels (feed a family of 4 for a month)
  • 6,000 meals for Viva schoolchildren in a settlement without basic services such as electricity or running water
  • Over 5 tons of food were delivered to retirement homes, orphanages, community kitchens and church programs

We were also able to admit a new group of 8 women to the development program and help them start small businesses. This is working well, so we are extending the program to single mothers as well.
As a result of this program (small interest-free loans to start micro-businesses), some wonderful things have happened, such as:

Kwanele has started a catering business. She pays her rent and plans to bring her children from Zimbabwe to join her in July. She has not seen them for 2 years.

Mama Betty, who makes dog beds and blankets, was able to buy enough fabric to fulfill her first large order in a shop. Her business supports 12 family members of all ages.

Sibonile now runs a mobile beauty salon; she previously could not afford the materials.

 

Update of May 20, 2021

Watch this short video. Together with the Viva Foundation, Tanya is hosting a special day for the children of a school in the slums of Johannesburg.

 

Update of April 22, 2021

Here in South Africa, the effects of more than a year of lost jobs and income are strongly felt. We are seeing more starving people than ever before, and the task ahead of us remains enormous. But there is also good news!

I am pleased to tell you that this month we were able to significantly increase our efforts to feed the hungry – thanks to the loving hearts of people like you who donate for those they will never meet.

In the last 4 weeks you have made possible:

  • distributing 600 food parcels through the Viva school feeding program, in which we send the children home with food for their families.
  • Providing 300 schoolchildren with breakfast and lunch from Monday to Friday throughout the month
  • Issuing over 140 food vouchers (each voucher is enough to feed a family of 4 for a week)
  • But not only that, our development program – which is designed to help the poorest of the poor start small mini-businesses – has also grown. In addition to the current 18 people, another 10 women will join in the next two weeks, while we hold training workshops in a local church to help them acquire basic business skills, while also caring for their spiritual needs.

And that is why there is a picture of a few chickens. Because these chickens are the new business of Thandeh, one of the "stars" of the development group, whose micro-business is now flourishing. She and her children no longer depend on food parcels.

We thank you with all our hearts for making all this possible.
Tanya Gardiner

 

Update of March 25, 2021

Warm greetings from Johannesburg, South Africa! When we began feeding those seeking help at our front door a year ago out of the rampant need, we could never have imagined that a year later we would still be extending a helping hand to those who have nothing. Even though the Covid crisis has eased somewhat here at the moment, the hunger and the terrible poverty are extremely high. Therefore we thank God that, thanks to you and others who stand by us, we are still able to be "Jesus' hands for the poor" .

We are now officially "Viva Johannesburg"

Although I started the feeding project very small in my front garden, it has since become far too big to stay under the "tax radar". I am therefore very pleased to be able to tell you that we are now working under the umbrella of the 'Viva Foundation', which has supported us from the beginning. Now we can pay donations directly into the foundation's bank account, which is registered as a charity, which protects me legally.
Meleney and Leon Kriel, who run the 'Viva Foundation', are lifelong friends who also share a long personal history with CfaN. Together we were able to distribute 1.5 million meals last year.

This change has no effect on our budget – we continue to use all  Donations (minus the transfer fees) for food, and I remain fully responsible for the feeding project in Johannesburg. From now on, please use for PayPal donations: meleney@vivafoundation.life

In the last month we were able to:

  • over 300 food vouchers distribute (each of which is enough to feed a family of four for up to 2 weeks)
  • 1.200 food parcels (for one week) distribute to families
  • 300 schoolchildren provide with breakfast and lunch from Monday to Friday
  • help 16 women and 2 men mini-businesses to start or reactivate
  • deliver 2 tons of vegetables to retirement homes deliver

From the bottom of our hearts, a huge thank you for enabling us to continue!
This food really is the "lifeline for the poorest".

God bless you!
Tanya Gardiner
 

Update of February 25, 2021

Dear sister, dear brother in Christ,

we would like to inform you about the current state of the feeding of the poor here in Johannesburg, because you have contributed an important part to making this possible.

Here in South Africa, the effects of the various Covid lockdowns are still causing terrible suffering. Another 20% of the population slipped below the poverty line last year. This means that more than half of our population reports having gone hungry at least two days in the past week. Some have not eaten for days.

And yet we see a miracle unfolding before our eyes every day. Every time our "baskets" become empty, the Lord fills them up again. Since we restarted the program in January, we have been able to distribute food vouchers and food every single week. With the vouchers they can buy food for about 2 weeks at a large supermarket chain. They have the opportunity (and dignity) to choose according to their individual needs – and we have the opportunity to give larger vouchers to families with several children. In the last month we issued over 250 food vouchers. That is at least 28,000 individual meals. And there is more...

None of this would be possible without your kindness and your obedience to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for listening to Him when He spoke into your heart. And thank you – from the bottom of our hearts – for enabling us to be Jesus' hands to be, reaching out to the poorest.

May God bless you with abundance and joy!
Tanya Gardiner, February 25, 2021

 

 

How it began...

Tanya Gardiner is a CfaN staff member in South Africa and the daughter of CfaN Vice President Peter Vandenberg. She is absolutely trustworthy.
Her private aid project in Johannesburg, South Africa came into being unplanned and out of necessity in the spring of 2020. Poor people who were suffering from hunger and deprivation due to the severe lockdown in South Africa were already ringing her doorbell in March 2020, begging for food. Tanya gave away what she had in the house. Very soon there were more, and she specifically bought suitable food for the people in need. But after a few days her savings were used up and more and more suffering people came to her door.
So she asked some acquaintances whether they could give something in support. This donation project arose spontaneously. In the summer of 2020 the project reached its peak. A Baptist church nearby served as a distribution center.

But since February 2021 the situation in South Africa has dramatically worsened again. "We are watching an urban famine unfold with heartbreaking speed. This desperate situation is getting worse by the day. There is no end in sight, and we need your help.
Every little bit really, really helps. Each food voucher we send (via mobile phone) costs R250, i.e. about 12 euros, and with it you can buy enough food to feed a family for 2 weeks. Food parcels (for collection) cost about 7 euros, and that is enough for a week.
This literally saves people from starving. It has become routine for us to step in where whole families have not eaten for days, much worse than last year.

Until the end of January, the government paid a monthly grant of 17 euros to those who have no income (unemployment is over 50% in the poorer suburbs). The moment the grants were stopped, the hunger set in. There is no time to lose.

"Hello Mama, I am so sorry to bother you. I beg you in the name of Jesus Christ, we have nothing to eat. For three days only water to drink. Can you please find it in your heart to help us, I beg you."