2 March 2016

The Shoprite Group has heeded the call of South Africans who want to give financial assistance to those communities left without water as the country remains in the grip of the worst drought in decades by introducing a till-point donation facility.

Beginning on March 2, 2016, customers will be able to donate in increments of R5 while shopping at any Shoprite or Checkers supermarket in order to support drought relief efforts.

Through its own Project Thirst project in KwaZulu-Natal and relationships with a number of other charities in other places without water, the Group has been helping communities that have been most severely affected by the horrific drought for months. More than 400 000* litres of water have been donated in recent weeks, and thousands more have been delivered to towns who are experiencing a water scarcity.

However, the cost of gathering water and shipping it across great distances is prohibitive. Buying big quantities of fresh water directly from supplier depots as close as feasible to the impacted communities is economically much more practicable. The public may now contribute significantly to extending relief efforts thanks to Shoprite’s #ActForChange Disaster Relief Fund, which will ensure that funds are eventually used to buy water rather than carry it.

The money raised will first be utilised to provide assistance to the communities suffering from water shortages. However, from time to time, the #ActForChange Disaster Relief Fund will also support other national and local disaster management initiatives by offering aid to South Africans in collaboration with groups like the SA Red Cross Society, Working on Fire, and Foodbank SA.

RSNL has always been dedicated to aiding underserved communities. More than 25 million cups of soup have been supplied by Shoprite’s mobile soup kitchens to date, and the Group has donated more than R100 million worth of food to various hunger relief charities. All year long, communities affected by runaway fires and fire fighters are assisted. South Africans may help the Shoprite Group make an even bigger difference in the lives of people in need by contributing to the #ActForChange Disaster Relief Fund.

#ActForChange …together we can make a difference.

*updated on 18 March 2016

To date the Shoprite Group has donated more than 400 000* litres of water and transported thousands more to assist communities left without water across South Africa, including (Vryheid, QwaQwa, Smithfield, Harding, Ixopo and others).