Helping with poverty alleviation
KwaThema – A local church based in Extension Three, is helping provide relief in a community with high numbers of unemployment, by assisting those in need with a daily home-cooked meals.
Though the Beauty of Christ Church Ministry has also been assisting with handing out of food parcels for some time, this is the first year that they have ventured in cooking these meals.
“We started handing our food parcels about three years ago to help with poverty alleviation in our community.
Read: Spotlight on poverty alleviation
“But then my husband Bishop Sandile Nxumalo and I started seeing a lot of children coming through our gates to play with our grandchildren.
“Sometimes we would see that these children are really hungry and when you give them food they would keep coming back and not want to leave.
“We then had discussions as the church leadership, asked for help and started providing these meals as of last Wednesday, and response has been overwhelming,” says Bishop Tiny Nxumalo.
She adds that people come in large numbers, from children to patients who attend at the nearby clinic.
Read: Poverty Alleviation Campaign
Nxumalo thanks the women of her church who volunteer their time to come and cook this food and their various donors.
“If we can get more help, then this can continue as we are currently only providing one meal from Monday to Friday,” she says.
Elizabeth Mnisi, Nobayeni Mthombeni and Siphesihle Masuku, of the church, who are assisting with the cooking, say the aim is for this not to end here.
“Unemployment is high in this area especially among young people.
“So you find some of them ending up in crime just for food.
“Through this, we hope that they at least have one less thing to worry about,” says Mthombeni.
One of the people who is benefiting from these home-cooked meals in the community, is Johanna Mthombeni of Extension Three.
She says: “I started eating here last Wednesday, after being invited to come by the congregation.
“Since my husband and I don’t get any steady income as we only get piece jobs here and there, I was very happy to get the help.
“These meals really go a long way for us, so we are truly grateful.”
For more information on this initiative contact Bishop Sandile Nxumalo on 079 454 6508 or Bishop Tiny Nxumalo on 060 358 5421.
