Fountain for the Thirsty helps the homeless during lockdown
When she began, she bought a supply of fruit and non-perishable items to distribute to those in need, and slowly but surely, the roots of a charity foundation were beginning to be established.
The Fountain for the Thirsty Foundation is helping to feed those in need in the northern Johannesburg region during the Covid-19 lockdown.
“For the people that we have worked with, we have made a world of a difference. We have made an impact on the lives of the people of the city,” said the foundation’s Shalene Selkirk.
Selkirk, who runs the foundation with a group of volunteers, is a PhD student and lecturer of structural geology at Wits University. “I have always been aware of issues of homelessness in our city, and on your daily commute, it is easy to see how prevalent it is. I would hear many stories of how desperate and hungry people were. I feel that one day God said to me, ‘you have lunch, don’t you? Why not share it?'” she said.
When she began, she bought a supply of fruit and non-perishable items to distribute to those in need, and slowly but surely, the roots of a charity foundation were beginning to be established. “Soon we were making cooked meals for people, and we started putting in a lot of effort. The more we fed, the more we realised how much greater the need was,” said Selkirk.
With the help sponsors, and by putting time and consistent effort in, Selkirk was able to establish the Fountain for the Thirsty Foundation that has now been providing services for almost three years.
She said, “We use our feeding-scheme as a means of showing people love. In situations where people need to beg for food, they feel very demoralised, and need to feel dignant. Food needs are sometimes very easy to fulfil, but emotional needs are harder to meet. A lot of people just need some form of interaction. So when we help, we make sure to look them in the eye and have a conversation with them.”
Currently, the foundation is helping the homeless during the Covid-19 lockdown period.The foundation works with homeless shelters and is currently operating two temporary emergency shelters for a maximum of 55 men in their 30km squared service area.More information about the foundation can be found on their website, for those in need, and for those who wish to contribute to their efforts.
Details: www.fountainforthethirsty.org
