While residents of Cape Town have been at home in lockdown amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ukama Community Foundation has been working tirelessly to ensure Cape Town’s most vulnerable children receive a meal during this uncertain time.
Since 2014, the foundation has been running feeding schemes at early childhood development centres within vulnerable communities. Over time, the feeding schemes grew as the foundation became aware of more children who needed their help. Prior to the lockdown, Ukama fed over 400 children a day across Cape Town, through food parcels and soup kitchens.
A map of the communities the Ukama Community Foundation is helping amid the nationwide lockdown. PHOTO: Maptive
When schools and creches were closed due to the nationwide lockdown, effective from 26 March, Ukama decided to provide food parcels to children who would no longer receive a meal at their schools and do not have the resources to receive food at their homes. This was according to the founder of Ukama Community Foundation, Janine Roberts.
“We asked all the principals of the centres to identify which parents had lost their jobs, or which children were only getting food at school. We then started doing food parcels for them, which they could come and collect once a week at the centre,” said Roberts.
A visual representation of the items included in the food parcels Ukama is distributing to residents in vulnerable communities.
A wider reach
To reach more people in need during the lockdown, Ukama has established soup kitchens within vulnerable communities like Masiphumelele and Vrygrond.
“We have opened a few soup kitchens where kids in the community could go get a meal every lunchtime. We supply all the food and it is cooked within the community,” said Roberts.
The soup kitchens are led by volunteers who have offered to cook and provide meals for local children during lockdown. Ukama then provides either gas or electricity and the food supplies for the volunteers to prepare and serve directly from their houses.
On 18 April, Ukama updated their Facebook page to announce that their soup kitchens had served over 4000 meals that week.
Donations the Ukama Community Foundation received towards food parcels and soup kitchens. PHOTO: Janine Roberts
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Ukama has prioritised sanitary measures to ensure the safety of their staff and children receiving the food.
“We all have masks, gloves and sanitisers. The stuff being donated is wiped down before it’s handed out. We are also providing education on sanitisation and hygiene with groceries at home,” said Roberts.
Roberts added that the need for food parcels amid the nationwide lockdown has been overwhelming at times.
“Our help sometimes feels like a drop in the ocean because there’s so much need out there. We are collaborating with several NGO’s so where there is a need we can try and help as many as we can,” she said.
For Roberts, the most rewarding part of the foundation’s work is seeing the number of people volunteering to assist communities in need.
Beneficiaries of Ukama’s food parcel initiative. PHOTO: Janine Roberts
‘I had to do something about it’
One of these volunteers is Matilda Fakazi, a resident of Masiphumelele, who has opened her home to serve meals for children in need. Through the donations Ukama receives, the foundation sponsors Fakazi with the ingredients needed for the meals which are then served from her home.
“I aim to provide one meal per day for children each day. If I can do that, things will be better for them. Sometimes, the meal I’m providing is the only meal the children are getting,” said Fakazi.
According to Fakazi, the nationwide lockdown has made it easier for people to overlook the crises happening in communities where people live from hand to mouth.
“We are helping children get enough food, it’s not enough but it’s something they can look forward to every day. Sometimes it’s the last thing people think about during a disaster like this,” said Fakazi.
Restoring hope
Ukama’s donations have been essential to Sandra Zenda, who is currently unemployed and consequently, unable to afford groceries. The foundation has assisted Zenda with rental payments and has provided her with groceries and nappies for her two-year-old son.
“Before knowing about the foundation, things were not going well in my life. But now I have hope and faith in living and it’s all thanks to the Ukama foundation,” said Zenda.
Bags of food parcels ready to be distributed to communities in need. PHOTO: Janine Roberts