IT was ironic that the Eden District, ostensibly a paradise, was the poorest area in the Western Cape, Rev Allan Boesak of the United Reformed Church said at the start of the 100 Days Deliverables Report Back on the war against poverty in Oudtshoorn.

This follows the Eden Poverty Indaba held in George in July.

Boesak told the 200 delegates that helping the needy was an act of love. “We must not fight poverty but eradicate it.”

An agreement of understanding was signed at the end of the indaba by the provincial Social Development, Labour, Education and Health departments, Agri Klein Karoo, Eden District Municipality, Klein Karoo Business Centre, Correctional Services and the SA Social Security Agency.

They seek to strengthen partnerships in the fight against poverty through job creation, food security, local economic development, rural development, education, training and health.

A feeding scheme for about 7000 children in pre-primary and primary schools in the rural areas of the Klein Karoo is one of the projects set up after the George indaba in July.

Food Bank of SA chairman Stuart McPherson said it was a model for the rest of the province and promised that the Food Bank would provide food if the project was kept sustainable. “This multi-million rand project is part of a holistic plan to take care of the physical, mental and spiritual needs of all primary school children in the region,” said Piet Lodder, manager of Agri Klein Karoo.

A total of 85 000 people are dependent on grants in the Eden District, while 11 500 more applied in August and September.