Bid to end poverty

This series of wildlife books and DVD was swopped for nine rolls of 2ply toilet paper and 6 litres of full cream, long life milk on a new Facebook page called Housewife's Corner.

This series of wildlife books and DVD was swopped for nine rolls of 2ply toilet paper and 6 litres of full cream, long life milk on a new Facebook page called Housewife's Corner.

Published Jan 29, 2015

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A new Facebook page, Housewife’s Corner, where furniture and other goods are being swopped for food, is creating quite a stir.

And while some of the requests might leave a smile on one’s face, the serious side of the page is that the food goes to the less fortunate.

The page was created by Janine Roode Becker of the Western Cape on Sunday with the aim of helping the needy.

“It is also to laugh and have fun at the end of the day. This group will be like a housewife’s bartering corner,” she said.

Explaining how the site works, Becker said: “Whatever you have in your home that you don’t need, take a picture, post it here and swop for whatever you feel your unwanted goods are worth.”

Since the page was created on Sunday, it has attracted 763 members. Anyone from around the country can trade their goods, from unwanted clothing to shoes or furniture…

Becker said there was an underlying point in the trade off: “Irrespective of people’s circumstances, poverty has no limits. Everybody struggles and this is one way, of getting rid of what you no longer need in order to either feed your own family or to help those who are less fortunate than yourself,” she said.

Housewife, Mandi Munro, who swopped her two “ funny” bird paintings for 2kg boxes of powdered milk, said the milk would be going to a needy family.

“I love the paintings, but I am trying to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most,” she said.

“I only joined the group yesterday. This is a practical solution and a great idea. Poverty would be wiped out if more people did this,” she said.

These are some of the items that have been bartered:

* A book rack for three packets of stewing beef and two packets of pasta.

* A three-legged wooden bowl with semi-precious stones for six litres of full cream, long life milk and two braai packs of chicken.

* Antique furniture for 20 litres of paint.

* Three bar stools for eight packets of instant pudding, 10 packets of 2-minute noodles, two tins of sweetcorn, tomato sauce and a bottle of chutney.

* Two vases for four packets of macaroni.

* Two wooden decorative boats for bread.

* Two sea shells for 2 packets of beef stew and a chicken braai pack.

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