The Michael-Daniel Bam Foundation served more than 450 Cape Town residents between April and June. Support included meals, hygiene products, sports kits and community care.

Its second-quarter report shows the foundation distributed more than 2 160 sanitary pads and raised R40 000 in in-kind donations. It also fed 250 people through Project Eudaimonia, its flagship programme.

Director Michael Bam said the numbers reflect how far the foundation has come since its early days. “We started by serving just 25 people and have now reached more than 450 in just three months,” Bam said. “That number represents over 450 individuals, each with their own story and 450 smiles that we’ve had the privilege of contributing to.”

More than a meal: Project Eudaimonia

Project Eudaimonia pairs hot meals with conversation. Volunteers sit with residents, many of them homeless, and listen.

“We don’t just want to hand someone a meal and walk away,” Bam said. “We want to sit down, have a conversation, learn their name, hear part of their story, and remind them that they are seen, valued, and worthy of dignity. Sometimes, that conversation can be just as meaningful as the meal itself.”

‘It taught me to look beyond appearances’

Volunteer Diyanah Christian said the experience has changed the way she sees the world. “Handing someone a meal is a deeply humbling experience,” Christian said. “It has taught me to look beyond appearances, to value compassion, and to never take the simple things in life for granted.”

“Being part of a group that shares such genuine compassion motivates me to keep giving back,” Christian said.

Kicking goals: Purple hearts FC receives first donation

The foundation also donated kits and equipment to Purple Hearts FC, a girls’ football club founded in 2024. For coach and founder Dimitri Johannes, the gesture carried lessons beyond sport.

“This was our very first donation,” Johannes said. “The girls asked a lot of questions and we had to explain what a sponsor is.” Johannes said the donation gave the girls a real-life lesson in what sponsorship means. The players had long wanted a purple kit.

Community fundraiser raises R3 272

A fundraiser at Michael Oak Waldorf Pre-school, run by fundraising assistant Leo Azuma, raised R3 272. Azuma said the amount proves what community action can achieve. “R3 272 might not seem like a huge amount to some, but it shows what can happen when a community comes together for a good cause,” Azuma said.

Project Plýsi returns to Edendale Primary School

The quarter’s highlight for Bam was the relaunch of Project Plýsi at Edendale Primary School. “Seeing the girls experience a pamper session many of them for the very first time was incredibly special,” Bam said. “Watching them smile, laugh, sing and dance was something I’ll never forget.”

A three-member board oversees the foundation: chair Armand Bam, alongside Jacques Schippers and Kurt Miller. Its work reaches residents aged three to 80 across Cape Town.

In the third quarter, the foundation plans to hand over the Dr Cyrill Walters Computer Lab. It will also continue supporting Lotus High School and relaunch Project Plýsi for Women’s Day. The foundation plans a fundraising drive in the months ahead.

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