Wensaam feeding scheme makes a huge difference in community
According to founder Cathy van Rensburg, Wensaam “was born from necessity 15 years ago when my daughter brought home some needy school friends for a meal”.
Wensaam is a feeding scheme in Elandspoort, Pretoria, and making a huge difference in the community.
The Rotary Pretoria Hatfield Club has been involved in the Wensaam Feeding Scheme for the past 14 years. They provide quarterly emergency food stocks, Covid-19 food relief, year-end food parcels, Christmas gifts and back-to-school stationery hampers for children in the community.
According to founder Cathy van Rensburg, Wensaam “was born from necessity 15 years ago when my daughter brought home some needy school friends for a meal”.
“As more and more children stopped by the house for bread, I decided that they needed more nutritious meals and started a soup kitchen.”
She said she tried to address the serious problem of poverty and hunger in the community. The soup kitchen became a fully-fledged community feeding scheme from her house and kitchen.
“The original soup kitchen grew into a community landmark with spearheading weekly food donations, preparation and cooking and emergency fundraising as and when required.
“Food ingredients are donated by an array of organisations on a weekly and monthly basis, and the cooking team consists of women in the community.”
Van Rensburg said her community feeding project originally started assisting 55 families.
“Covid-19 has had a devastating effect on the community. The number has now grown to 210 families, including old age pensioners and child-headed households.
“Wensaam also assists where they could with clothing and school supplies. The details of each meal recipient are recorded.”
Van Rensburg and her helpers currently provide 800 meals a day.
“We work in a makeshift kitchen in my house, with minimal infrastructure. My family and I extended the front of our house as the Wensaam kitchen.
“The improvised space facilitates the 800 meals per day, but urgent alterations and remodelling in this space is required to continue the essential work that Wensaam does in this community.”
Rotary Hatfield is appealing to the wider Pretoria community to assist with monthly donations to ensure food supply to Wensaam.
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