10 Kilometres north-east of Durbanville, is Fisantekraal. A settlement with a population of around 25 000 that was particularly hard hit by Covid in 2020.
Due to the socio-economic realities, a large portion of the Fisantekraal residents lost their jobs. At the height of Covid, a total of 27 soup kitchen were operating in the area.
That number has drastically reduced, but the dire need for help with food and - in particular - feeding hungry and neglected children, has not.
With the help of Mercy Aids, the Essentially Natural Outreach team is involved with supporting seven soup kitchens, run by seven amazing women that we refer to as the ‘7 Pillars’. Pillars, because not only do they feed people en masse, they have also opened up their homes and hearts, supporting the most vulnerable in their communities.
These women each cook for between 150 to 350 people at a time, multiple times a week, sometimes even twice a day. Each meal is not only delicious, but also nutritious!
Some have their own veggie gardens – provided with the generous help of Sprouting Minds - that help to supplement the donations that they receive. To give you an idea of the monumental task that these women face - one kitchen will need 5kg of dry beans, 5kg of dry soup mix, 1kg of soup powder, 10kg of rice and 10kg of onions each week. And these are just a few items that are needed to keep a soup kitchen running. Add to this the additional stress and expense that Covid brings about - sanitiser, PPE and enforcing social distancing… No easy feat!
Each of these women have their own life story. A journey riddled with hardships and hurt, challenges and accomplishments, that lead them to this point in time. And yet, they have managed to remain positive and are still willing and able to fight for change and uplift those around them. They also each harbour unique dreams which we would love to share with you in 2022. Some have a passion to teach children – others to help the elderly or to assist young men that are struggling to find their place in the world. We find it so inspiring and are sure you will too!
In order to thank these women for their dedication and selfless service to their communities this past year, as well as plan a little for the year to come, we hosted a special tea in their honour. It was such a wonderful opportunity to socialise, to share stories, to laugh and to be inspired. A small token of appreciation for women that work tirelessly for their community - a task that can often be thankless and feel never-ending…
Together, alongside Mercy Aids, we are dreaming big dreams for the future, and plan to tread a long journey with the incredible ‘7 Pillars’. Our new motto, “Unity is strength”, will be our constant companion on the road ahead.
