WATCH: Crèche owner uses renovation funds to feed kids
For the past 55 days of lockdown, Nosipho Klaas halted renovations at the Little Leaders Educare Centre in Khayelitsha to run a Covid-19 food distribution centre and soup kitchen instead.
The 41-year-old mother of three has been using the money meant for upgrading her educare centre to feed people affected by the lockdown in Endlovini.
“I worked for a non-profit organisation before as a field worker going around the community and I know the harsh realities many children face. I had to start this soup kitchen,” she says.
GIVE: Kids at Little Leaders Educare Centre. Picture: Velni Ludidi
Nosipho has been running her crèche for three years and says when she had to choose between renovations and giving the young ones a meal a day, she chose the latter.
“Crèches used to cook for children and this soup kitchen was started for children, but adults started coming and I could not turn them away because I know how difficult the situation is at their homes.”
She says she’s never seen any government food parcels being delivered to her area.
“The only time there were food parcels here was when I went to Hillsong Church to ask for assistance and they gave me food parcels for the community.
“People are finding it difficult here to survive and we had to move from providing only lunch but breakfast too.”
GIVE: Kids at Little Leaders Educare Centre. Video: Phando Jikelo/ANA
Nosipho has received support from different organisations while her neighbours assist with cooking and dishing out the food.
Neighbour Nozipho Matholengwe says: “I love children and what is happening here is commendable. I had to join in and offer a hand, this community really needs food relief and so far she is the only one running a soup kitchen.”
Bulelani Goisame thanked Nosipho for not turning adults away: “It was meant for kids but I am hungry and I have no source of income.
“This is my only source of food during this time and I thank Nosipho.”