Poverty, and its accompanying twins of hunger and malnutrition, is the greatest threat facing South Africa today. Millions of people face a day without a single meal, every day, and as evidenced by the Sunday Times article of 29th May for example, many hungry and desperate children have resorted to eating sand to fill their empty stomachs. Ladles of Love plays a critical role in helping to alleviate this catastrophic situation through its proactive social initiatives.
Cape Town established non-profit organisation, Ladles of Love, is growing their impact by expanding its programs into Gauteng. From humble beginnings as a single soup kitchen in 2014 they have grown their network substantially and are now supporting 153 soup kitchens in the Cape Peninsula. They have managed to serve over 28 million meals since lockdown began in March 2020. This translates to feeding roughly 40 000 people a day and sending 4,2 tons of food out a week in Gauteng and a total of 40 tonnes nationally to those in need.
Ladles of Love is a public benefit organization in social service through their seven programs, which are designed to tackle social challenges facing people, often children, in impoverished communities by implementing practical solutions that make a difference.
Their primary focus is to alleviate hunger with dignity and love by injecting hope and making a difference in as many lives as possible. Gauteng beneficiaries includes ECD centers, the physically and mentally challenged, elderly citizens and chronic patients who have no food with which to take their medications. Johannesburg Chief Operating Officer, Candice Etberg comments “Food is a fundamental requirement in anybody’s life – and even more so in the lives of people who have no guarantee of a nutritious meal every day. These people are survivors, not victims, and Ladles of Love is dedicated to bringing dignity and a sense of worthiness into people’s lives “.
The Johannesburg branch have onboarded 16 new beneficiaries in the Alexandra township, Tembisa, Munsieville in Krugersdorp, Orange Farm, and Soweto. Operating from their warehouse in Wynberg, Johannesburg, these beneficiaries collect fresh produce and dry goods which includes maize meal, samp, rice, oats, sugar, and salt on a weekly basis. All beneficiaries are carefully vetted, and Ladles of Love will be alleviating their concerns by ensuring that each person from each organization and centre will be able to enjoy at least two nutritious meals a day.
One of the Gauteng beneficiaries, Valencia from Sakhi Sizwe Aids Care Initiative said “Ladles of Love has impacted our community in a very good way especially now, since we’re facing a crisis as a country. We can now have three meals a day and we are also able to even feed our Saturday class students. We are grateful and thankful for your help. Our patients and orphans and elderly citizen are able to take their medicine on time. We thank Ladles of Love for saving our lives”.
Ladles of Love call to action: Food cans to form an official country flag on Mandela Day
The NPO has launched their footprint in Gauteng just in time to partake in this year’s Mandela Day challenge in a big way. Having broken two world records in the past for Mandela Day in 2020, for making the greatest number of sandwiches in one hour (304 000), and building the longest line of food cans 6,7km long in 2021 they intend on breaking an existing world record using food cans to make a mosaic image of Mandela in Cape Town and set a record for using food cans to form an official country flag in Johannesburg.
On 18 July, Ladles of Love will be raising awareness about food security by raising over 120 000 food cans, making a social message statement to alleviate hunger and alleviate poverty in a meaningful and engaging way. To assist in taking action against hunger, the public can get involved through purchasing food cans on Webtickets. These will be colour coded and delivered to the World Record attempt on your behalf, you can also buy 67min volunteering slots. Mandela Day is live on Webtickets.co.za from 2 July 2022.
