Food vouchers offer a ticket of survival for migrants in South Africa
“I’ve lost my job. I gave birth. It’s been difficult as my child has disabilities too.” These are the words of a despondent mother of two, Rebecca Bolona, as the 38-year-old speaks to us in a small room upstairs of the Vitolina Centre, in a busy area in Wierdapark, South Africa.
The baby’s blanket absorbs her tears as she recounts the impact that the Covid-19-imposed lockdown has had on her and her family over the past 18 months. Rebecca and a number of migrants, mostly women with children, are gathered at the Vitolina Centre to receive food vouchers from the International Organization of Migration (IOM). IOM has been distributing food vouchers to vulnerable populations throughout the pandemic. Meanwhile, other UN agencies, including UNDP, UNFPA and UNODC, have delivered personal protective equipment, and UN Women has worked to counter the uptick in gender-based violence.
Rebecca and many other women share similar stories of their lives prior to the lockdown. Some were employed in the hospitality industry, others in restaurants or hotels. But when President Cyril Ramaphosa imposed subsequent lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus, the women saw an end to their livelihoods. In many cases, their partners also lost their incomes, leaving them penniless and sometimes even homeless.
“We have no money. My son was at university and he cannot go back because of outstanding fees,” recounts 56-year-old Jeanine Capiamba. The hospitality industry, they say, is not functioning at full capacity. According to many of the women, the travel restrictions have caused a near shutdown of the tourism industry. They add that because fears remain around the spread of the virus, local tourism has also been slow to pick up.
“Tourists are not coming, so there are no jobs for us to go back to,” echoes 37-year-old Berth Bolela, a migrant from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Going back home to their country of origin is not an option as the women say they cannot afford a Covid-19 test at the border, which in many cases has become mandatory. Migrants say they have followed the situation in Zimbabwe during the Christmas period and fear they too will be stuck at the border should they decide to leave South Africa.
For now, the vouchers provide a glimmer of hope for survival.
“The vouchers help us because I can at least go and buy milk and other groceries for my family. As long as the children are fed, I am happy.”
Story written by Zeenat Abdool, UNIC Pretoria. Editorial support by Paul VanDeCarr, Development Coordination Office. To learn more about the work taking place in the country, visit: SouthAfrica.UN.org.
To learn more about the results of our work in this area and beyond, please read the UNSDG Chair Report on DCO.
