“I turned my living room into a sandwich factory and with the help of my family, friends and a few Rotaract members, I embarked on this journey to feed over a hundred people weekly.”
These are the words of Rex Omameh, youth director of the Blouberg Rotary Club, who is passionate about fighting hunger.
Omameh started a sandwich drive last year where 56 of the club’s youth came together at the Blouberg Scout Hall to make sandwiches for those going hungry in the surrounding community. The goal was to make 10 000 sandwiches.
“I started in 2013 by cooking and feeding hungry kids on the streets in Benin City, Nigeria. Years later, in Cape Town, I started a soup kitchen to feed kids in Dunoon and Wolwerivier. In July 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, I was inspired by a dear friend, now late Pat Strydom (a fellow Rotarian) to start making sarmies. We all could see the struggles people faced during the Covid-19 hard lockdown. On several different occasions, my family and I have made the effort to feed over 1 000 people a week,” he says.
He was determined to feed 10 000 little tummies as the Christmas season approached and to honour the life of beloved late Rotarian Pat Strydom.
“She was one of the biggest supporters and cheerleader of this initiative and dedicating this recent endeavour to feed 10 000 people, was one of the best ways I know to honour her memory,” he says.
“This was a very expensive project which required not just money, but people’s time and energy. It wasn’t easy getting people to assist, especially during the period when our country was battling with the third wave of Covid-19. That didn’t discourage me though. I know how to get things done when it’s really important to me,” he says.
His family, friends and other volunteers were armed with plastic knives, a pool of peanut butter and enough bread loaves and polony to build a little house.
“We successfully prepared and distributed 10 657 sandwiches within seven hours. This was made possible with sponsorships and time sacrifice from friends and family, Rotaract District 9350, Blouberg Rotary, Milnerton Community Action Network (CAN) and Albany Bread. We had volunteers arriving throughout the day from Atlantis Modeling Youth & Development School (an NPO situated in Atlantis), Interact Clubs of Blouberg International School, Bosmansdam High, Milnerton High School, Parklands College, Sinenjongo High and the Rotaract clubs of Atlantis, Blouberg, Hout Bay, Khayelitsha and Waterfront, and Rotary E-club of greater Cape Town,” he adds.
At the end of the day the 10 657 sandwiches, with approximately 172 loaves of bread left, the sandwiches and bread were delivered to Milnerton CAN, Atlantis Modeling Youth & Development School and other groups in need. “Distribution was not easy. Packaging and loading the finished sandwiches was the most difficult part, but we managed to hire a bakkie and a member from Milnerton CAN also assisted with her truck. The final sandwich delivery was made at exactly 18:35.
As always with every project I organise, I hope to inspire young people to continue sharing lots of love to those who need it most in any form they possibly can,” he says.
- To be part of this project or to assist Omameh, send an email to rex.omameh@rotaractafrica.org.
