Join Fourways Can and feed the hungry

Fourways Can (Community Action Network) invites community members to join them as they help feed over 700 people in need in Kya Sands and Diepsloot during these trying times.

Community member Janna Couto was asked to join Gauteng Together, an association partnering with the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, the Angel Network and Conekt to begin Fourways Can. The network aims to bring together people from across Fourways, Lonehill, Chartwell, Craigavon, Broadacres, Dainfern and Beverley with the aim of getting food assistance to people in need in Kya Sands and other informal settlements.

Couto said that at the beginning of lockdown, she wanted to help people but didn’t know how or where.

“Many of my friends and family wanted to help with food aid, but we all had the same concerns – would food donations or money get to the informal settlements?” said Couto.

She partnered with non-profit school Phronesis in Kya Sands to help feed children, who were previously fed two meals a day at school.

So far, the network has distributed nearly 300 food parcels, feeding over 700 people.

“In previous parcel drops, we realised children (who head their households) and the elderly were not getting food parcels as younger people would push them out of the way. Going in with 100 or so food parcels also causes panic, uncertainty and unruly crowd behaviour, making it unsafe for everyone.”

Fourways Can are no longer donating food parcels, due to legistlation change, but are distributing food vouchers to those in need.

She believes that Phronesis School can make a difference in the young learners’ lives in the long term. Fourways Can is trying to assist them with learning packs to help keep children learning at home.

Community members are encouraged to support this network by donating money for food vounchers, donating virtual food vouchers or joining the network as a virtual volunteer.

Locals are also encouraged to film themselves reading children’s books and email their videos to Couto so that children who have no access to learning materials can benefit from them.

For more information, email FourwaysCAN@gmail.com or like FourwaysCAN on Facebook.