The streets of Braamfischerville came alive with singing and loud cheers at the sound of a megaphone from the Blue Ribbon team calling everyone to come and get free loaves of bread.
In appreciation of its consumers, Blue Ribbon embarked on its Share the Dream campaign on Thursday last week, giving out more than 1,000 loaves of bread, that left the community smiling from ear-to-ear and full of gratitude.
Women were ululating in the lines with their Blue Ribbon plastic bags patiently waiting for their turn. To their surprise, not only bread was given out, others were getting R50 vouchers enabling them to go and buy bread again when it runs out, along with lunch boxes to store their bread.
This was followed by a huge round of applause, with smiles and dancing in the lines.
Among them was Lorreta Baza, a 80-year-old grandmother who depends on a South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grant to eat and clothe herself.
Gogo Lorreta told IOL that this bread came right on time, as she struggles to sometimes cook during the day because of a lack of money to buy and eat bread. She shared that while waiting for her pension the following day, she will at least have bread to eat.
“I am happy that when Blue-Ribbon thought about this initiative they had our community at the back of their minds. Bread is expensive, and as old as I am, I have to cook during the day because I can hardly afford bread. The last days of waiting for Sassa money can be really tough, however, Blue Ribbon came at the right time for me,” she said.
Another member of the community, Rachel Molaba said that she is grateful that each person from her house got to take loaves of bread and that will sustain them for a long time.
“At home, there is five of us unemployed, although the rules were to give one bread per household we were able to get five loaves and this will sustain us longer,” she said.
Molaba, 30, lives with her twin sister, younger brother, husband and his uncle, who is also a pensioner.
“We not only want to make life a little easier for our consumers. We also want to make sure that they get a taste of bread and share the dreams,” said a Blue Ribbon team member.
With the number of people who came out for bread, Blue ribbon team promised to do more of these rounds at least once a month so that everyone can share the dream.
Blue Ribbon has also announced that it will be launching their 7th annual Soweto Fest in September 2024 and urged people to come in their numbers.
IOL