IN a bid to prevent hungry children from searching for food at Arlington Tip dump site in Walmer, non-profit organisation, Bumba Ikamva Early Child Development/Primary/Youth/Soup Kitchen Project recently started a soup kitchen initiative in Walmer Township which operates three days a week.
Co-founders of Bumba Ikamva, Siyanda Mbusi and Nontsikelelo Funde, started the soup kitchen project in May in G-West, one of the poorest areas of Nelson Mandela Bay.
“It was important for us to start a soup kitchen in this area because children make use of the dumping site to search for food and we do not want them to risk eating rotten food,” said Mbusi.
According to Mbusi, common issues in the area, which is home to approximately 70 000 residents, included unemployment, HIV/Aids, alcohol abuse, child negligence, crime and illiteracy.
He further said many families lived in self-built shacks and unstable houses, which are extremely vulnerable during rainstorms.
To further add to the families’ burden, the township only has two primary schools, one high school, and one clinic.
“The township lacks resources to remedy these problems.
“The lack of resources ultimately creates enormously difficult obstacles for the township’s children, teenagers, and youth to defeat the cycle of poverty,” said Mbusi.
With help from Gem Project and Dr Annaline Keet, a lecturer at Nelson Mandela University who regularly supplies groceries and gas cannisters, they have been able to feed approximately 100 children every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. They have also received regular vegetable donations from Masifunde Learner Development.
“To see so many people respond positively to the project was an overwhelming experience,” said Mbusi.
Since Bumba Ikamva was established in September last year, the organisation has helped many young children and their families who live in the area.
The have provided food parcels to grandmothers who are the sole providers for their grandchildren and they have provided uniforms and school supplies to children in need.
The organisation has also identified 62 children in the area whom they help on a regular basis in order to improve their living situation.
Despite their efforts, Mbusi said their organisation was not able to do everything on their own and needed support from the public and private sectors, in order to rebuild the dignity in Walmer Township.
Mbusi said he plans to continue with the soup kitchen which has helped many children in the area, and he hopes to start a similar project in various poverty-stricken communities in the Bay.
“Our organisation hopes to continue to alleviate the burden of poverty and lessen the difficulty of overcoming such barriers for the township’s most underprivileged with our various projects,” said Mbusi.
For more info, contact Siyanda Mbusi on 060 347 5129 or e-mail1bumbaikamva@gmail.com.
