African Child at Work feeds local children

African Child at Work hosted a soup kitchen at Khuzwayo Street to give back to the youngsters in the community of Orlando East.

African Child at Work is an NPO aimed at empowering a community and getting children to interact with each other while ending hunger and poverty.

The organisation was started by Thabiso Masigo.

They merged with the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI), a leadership programme to help with the soup kitchen and distributing the food.

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Students from YALI, who come from all around Africa, were seen interacting with the children while the food was being prepared.

They played games and there was a lot of singing and dancing.

Arnaunch Harisaina, who comes from Madagascar, was also seen playing with the children said he came with no knowledge but has learnt how to greet in isiZulu from the children.

He added he wanted to start something close to this when he gets back home as it was giving back to your community.

Nompumelelo Moshoeshoe, the facilitator of YALI, said Thabiso is the MD of African Child at Work. “He is a YALI alumnus and we thought why not support him? We also consider this initiative as commendable.

“I was in the mining housing sector and that was my 9-5. I wanted to be a civil person and this is how the organisation came about.”

Masigo was asked how they run the organisation and how they sustain it as they host the soup kitchen every Tuesday.

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He mentioned they planted and grew their food and received donations.

Track president of YALI, Lombe Henry Musole, gave out an envelope as a token to assist in the running of the organisation.

Representatives from ABSA were present to assist the children in opening accounts.

Masigo mentioned they also have initiatives or programmes that assist with sanitary towels and education, career advice and a school shoe drive.