The
donation,
which
took
place
at
the
homestead
of
Chief
Ndondo,
was
part
of
a
broader
humanitarian
initiative
aimed
at
supporting
communities
across
Africa
facing
economic
hardship.
“We
are
here
at
Mbembesi
village,
we
came
to
make
a
contribution
to
this
community
during
times
of
economic
strife,”
said
Mkiva
during
the
handover
ceremony.
“We
came
to
assist
the
contingent
families
by
providing
groceries
with
the
aim
of
supporting
families.
This
is
a
short-term
intervention
that
we
want
to
do
as
the
Mkiva
Humanitarian
Foundation.”
The
distributed
food
parcels
included
two
10kg
bags
of
mealie
meal,
5kg
of
rice,
2kg
of
sugar,
two
litres
of
cooking
oil,
a
packet
of
salt,
and
a
packet
of
soya
chunks.
The
groceries
were
locally
sourced,
part
of
a
R1
million
fund
set
aside
for
both
Zimbabwe
and
Uganda,
where
the
foundation
is
making
similar
efforts
in
the
Toro
Kingdom.
While
the
food
assistance
is
a
starting
point,
Mkiva
said
the
foundation
has
longer-term
goals
for
sustainability.
“We
want
to
come
up
with
an
approach
which
is
also
sustainable,
assisting
families
to
produce
and
eat
their
own
food,
which
is
the
best
formula
under
the
circumstances,”
he
said.
The
programme
is
run
in
collaboration
with
local
traditional
leadership.
“This
is
community-driven,
done
in
conjunction
with
traditional
leadership.
That’s
why
we
are
doing
this
at
Chief
Ndondo’s
homestead,
working
with
Xhosa
Prince
Mcleod
Isolengwe
Tshawe
and
other
traditional
leaders
who
helped
us
create
the
lists
so
that
everyone
selected
benefits,”
Mkiva
said.
“This
is
a
humanitarian
charitable
programme
meant
to
say,
‘let’s
work
together’.
Those
who
can
assist
must
come
forward.
You
can’t
enjoy
life
when
your
neighbours
are
suffering.
If
people
of
Mbembesi
have
food
sovereignty,
they
must
make
sure
their
neighbours
do
too.
The
spirit
of
ubuntu
says:
share
with
your
neighbour.”
Mkiva,
who
hails
from
South
Africa,
has
familial
and
cultural
ties
to
Mbembesi.
“Charity
begins
at
home.
I
have
relatives
here.
I
can’t
look
away.
We
are
related
by
history,
blood
and
heritage.
These
are
my
people.
I’m
their
person,”
he
said.
“My
late
King
Zwelonke
had
a
deep
sentiment
for
these
people
and
I
carry
that
forward.”
He
added
that
this
effort
was
inclusive
as
other
ethnicities
besides
Xhosa
would
also
benefit.
“Mbembesi
cannot
do
it
alone.
It’s
not
only
Xhosa-speaking
people
who
benefit
but
other
ethnicities
as
people
are
interrelated
and
intermarried.
We
have
to
work
together.
It’s
a
no-brainer.”
Mkiva
also
highlighted
the
importance
of
respecting
traditional
leadership.
“Respect
your
chief
and
pray
for
your
chief
when
praying.
People
call
on
others
but
forget
their
chief.
If
people
don’t
support
their
chief,
it’s
hard
for
the
nation
to
progress.
A
chief
has
no
term.
He’s
a
permanent
member
and
lives
among
you.”
Mkiva
also
took
a
lighter
tone,
drawing
laughter
when
he
jokingly
suggested
helping
Chief
Ndondo
find
a
wife.
“The
chief
must
marry
so
that
his
work
goes
far.
If
not,
I’ll
bring
him
one.
If
King
Zwelonke
hadn’t
died,
the
intention
was
for
him
to
have
a
wife
from
here
to
strengthen
our
ties.
I
also
don’t
mind
having
a
wife
to
build
a
family
with
here,”
he
joked.
Working
alongside
Mkiva
was
Professor
Bryon
Eugene
Price
from
the
United
States,
a
board
member
and
part
of
the
foundation’s
international
advisory
committee.
“Price
is
mobilising
resources
globally,
combining
our
ethos
here
with
African
diasporic
support,”
Mkiva
explained.
“These
are
our
brothers
in
the
diaspora.
They
have
a
moral
duty
not
to
look
away
from
their
African
origins.
Africa
is
born
in
them.
I
use
his
expert
advice
to
connect
with
other
partners,”
he
said
and
also
acknowledged
support
from
the
Lawrence
and
Patricia
Carrier
Foundation,
which
has
partnered
in
mobilising
aid
for
this
programme.
Chief
Ndondo,
on
behalf
of
the
community,
expressed
deep
gratitude.
“This
is
a
breakthrough
from
the
Mkiva
Foundation
and
stakeholders.
Besides
being
a
direct
cousin
and
family
member,
he
is
a
relative.
We
appreciate
what
he
has
done,”
he
said.
The
Chief
noted
the
importance
of
long-term
empowerment.
“Mkiva
is
talking
about
self-resilience
so
that
people
are
empowered
to
do
their
own
work.
I
wish
we
could
have
a
mini
training
on
self-resilience,
so
people
can
access
water
and
sustain
themselves.
We
are
looking
forward
to
a
brighter
future
in
the
community
and
surrounding
areas.”
Xhosa
Prince
Mcleod
Isolengwe
Tshawe
also
spoke,
reflecting
on
the
cultural
roots
of
the
initiative.
“King
(Mpendulo)
Zwelonke
(Sigcawu)
was
here
in
2011,
and
that
inspired
us.
We
must
keep
up
the
momentum.
This
is
an
annual
event.
We
are
spearheading
this
in
Zimbabwe
and
the
region
with
Mkiva,”
he
said.
“I
am
a
traditional
leader
of
the
people.
I
have
been
to
Botswana
and
Zambia.
The
late
King
committed
to
look
after
his
people,
and
now
Mkiva
is
doing
it.
This
is
not
political,
it
is
traditional,
cultural,
and
rooted
in
human
values.
We
are
here
to
help
the
hungry
and
vulnerable.”
King
Mpendulo
Zwelonke
Sigcawu,
who
died
in
2019
at
age
51,
was
the
monarch
of
the
amaXhosa
nation
in
South
Africa.