This year the government of Taiwan again honoured a generous contribution of another 40 tons of rice gifted to various organisations at the South African Red Cross Society’s (SARCS) offices in Wynberg on Thursday 10 August.
Delegates from different organisations, members of the Western Cape legislature (MPLs), as well as Chief Ndabele Bangisizwe Mtoto of AmaXhosa in the Eastern Cape, attended the ceremony.
The new Director-General of the Taipei Liaison Office in Cape Town, Lily Chen was also present.
In her address, Chen recalled an encounter at a congregation in Delft during National Prayer Day on 13 May.
“The one member told me that he remembers the taste of our Taiwanese rice that was donated last year. I promised that another contribution would be made. And once Taiwan promises, we honour that commitment. The Taiwanese government’s yield of crops was enough for our own food security and sustainability, so much so that we were once more in the position to make this donation.
“For the past 20 years, we have contributed food aid to 40 countries worldwide. Taiwan’s love knows no boundaries,” Chen humbly declared.
She expressed Taiwan’s fortune to be able to donate to organisations like the SARCS. “We hope the rice will be delivered to where it is needed. Enjoy the taste of Taiwan.”
This commitment follows the first donation of 40 tons on 13 September last year, also at the SARCS’s offices in Wynberg.
The rice will be shared among numerous non-profit organisation (NPOs) like Timeless Care for the Aged, Kitchen of Kindness, Where the Rainbows Meet and many more under the SARCS, as well as eight MPs to be shared among their constituents. The MPs include Judy Hermans (ANC), Nolitha Ntobongwana (ANC), Zola Mlenzana (ANC), Siviwe Gwarube (DA), Alexandra Abrahams (DA), Brandon Golding (DA), Pieter Groenewald (FF+, Party leader) and Wouter Wynand Wessels (FF+).
