It only takes a matter of minutes to fall head over heels in love with Alletta of Alletta's Soup Kitchen in Fisantekraal. Her smile is infectious, not to mention her positivity and go-getter attitude! Above all, her love for her family and commitment to her community seems to be limitless.
Alletta shares her home with her husband, Ricardo, and three beautiful children, Nakita (19), Raynico (13) and little Vivia (4).
In 2020, when a nearby church soup kitchen was forced to close its doors, MercyAids approached Alletta to step into the challenging role to fill the gap. Understanding the dire need in her community - especially in the informal settlement that borders her home - she immediately took action. At first, she operated the soup kitchen out of her own pocket. Later, with the help of MercyAids, she attended a course offered by the Fisantekraal Centre of Development to better equip her in this mammoth undertaking.
Four years later, and Alletta is still at it: Flanked by a small team of dedicated volunteers (right-hand woman, Ernist, Patricia, Elaine and Zanele), Alletta provides delicious, nutritious meals twice a week for hundreds of people. This includes a considerable amount of children. Patricia, Alletta’s childhood friend and volunteer, remarks, “These children are her children.” It’s clear that these kids also look up to her and visit her, not only for food, but also affection.
When we first visited her kitchen, it was clear that the lack of working surfaces was a big problem. On their food preparation days, Alletta and her volunteers could be found spread out in the modest open-plan kitchen and living room, peeling and chopping hefty amounts of vegetables on their laps. The tiny little sink was no match for the massive pots, and the kitchen could also definitely benefit from more storage space.
Now, we happen to be big dreamers! But if you’ve ever refurbished a kitchen, you’ll know that this is an expensive dream to realise… By a sheer stroke of luck, someone else’s misfortune provided us with exactly what we needed to get to work on our biggest undertaking of the year: The Fick family donated their old kitchen cupboards after their home was flooded. With some clever adjustments to the damaged wood, Alex from The Modest Toolbox, was able to build a beautiful kitchen to exactly suit Alletta’s needs. A generous donation from Jean and Karl Fiedler meant that we could purchase brand new table tops and move the water supply (Thank you, James!) to accommodate the new double sink.
Thanks to a donation from Piet Marais Bouers, we were also able to give the kitchen, living room, bathroom, doors and the kids’ room a fresh coat of paint (thank you Elana and Jana for coming to help us paint!).
Finally, we added a real personal touch with a custom built display shelf - also functioning as a partial room divider between the kitchen and living room - to show off Alletta’s gorgeous collection of blue vases.
Following the success of our previous soup kitchen refurbishment, we knew just how impactful a new and improved kitchen can be. After all, the efficiency of a soup kitchen benefits an entire community. But more than that, it empowers the powerhouse women - Alletta and her team - that gift their time and talent to serve that community. If the head of a household is happy and healthy, they are better equipped to lead their family. And Alletta has a very, very big family! Her community.
This sense of community - family - was never more evident than on the day of Nakita’s Matric Dance. As always, Alletta and Ricardo’s home was open to everyone. We were absolutely thrilled and humbled to be part of this special day, especially after spending so much time working side-by-side in this very home! For hours on end, friends, family and neighbours filed into the house to gush over Nakita, who looked absolutely stunning! Alletta and Ricardo were bursting with pride! And so was everyone else. There’s no denying it: Alletta and her family are respected and loved beyond measure…
In closing, I can't resist sharing this gem that volunteer, Patricia, shared about Alletta: “She’s beautiful inside and out. Even when facing her own problems, or when she’s angry or stressed, she’s always Alletta. She’s always the same. She makes her friends and neighbours her family. She holds everyone’s hands.”
Before:
Left: This wooden cupboard was the only table surface in the kitchen. Right: The teensy tiny sink...
Look at the size of those pots!
During:
This modern, light grey made such a difference to the space!
Our go-to carpenter and all-round fun guy, Alex (The Modest Toolbox) and Elana Fick. The Ficks not only donated their old kitchen cupboards after a horrible flood, but also came to help us paint during the first phase of refurbishment at Alletta's.
Juanita (The One Percent Movement) and Jana Fick, hard at work painting. How many teens do you know that would sacrifice a Saturday morning to do this?!
Phase one complete: Countertops galore; a new double sink and lots of storage space!
The Dream Team: Alex (The Modest Toolbox), Corinne and Juanita (The One Percent Movement) and Aletta.
Phase 2 underway, and Alex has an eager little helper! Alletta's youngest, Vivia...
Left: Mounting cupboards against the wall added some much needed storage space. Right: Additional cupboards and a desk space on the living room side of the divider was a clever little addition!
The informal settlement that borders on Alletta and Ricardo's home. Many of Alletta's Soup Kitchen patrons live here.
The beautiful and amazing lady of the hour: Alletta, looking stunning. It's the day of Nakita's Matric Dance!
Karen, Alletta's dear friend and chef, cooking up a storm to celebrate Nakita's special day.
Fabulous volunteer, Patricia.
Left: The "pantry" - another clever storage solution that we added to the kitchen. Left: We found this double sink in excellent condition on Facebook Market Place.
We designed this modern, characterful room divider specially to display Alletta's beautiful collection of blue vases that are very dear to her. How pretty?!
How gorgeous is Nakita?!?!
Surrounded by the "paparazzi"!
Juanita and Nakita share a moment...
Ricardo, Nakita and Alletta.
The whole family: Ricardo, Raynico, Nakita, Alletta and little Vivia.
Please consider donating towards our valuable work:
The One Percent Movement
FNB 62924632749 (Gold Business)
Branch: 250655
Swift code: FIRNZAJJ
If you would like more information on our current projects or want to get involved, please contact Juanita Berry:
juanita@essentiallynatural.co.za
073 274 1915
