As many of you know, I started a women’s mobile photography project in Khayelitsha (Cape Town’s largest township) in Nov. 2013. I have returned to South Africa every year, including as recently as Oct/Nov 2019.

If you know me, you know how much I love South Africa and how connected I feel to it and the eKhaya eKasi community. To refresh, eKhaya eKasi is a small grassroots non-profit organization that relies heavily on tourism.  

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Learning mobile photography and social media at eKhaya eKasi, October 2019.

These last few weeks, as COVID-19 began to spread, my thoughts quickly turned to friends in South Africa and specifically to those living in areas such as Khayelitsha. I wondered how they would cope with the spread of this virus. 

Some friends have no running water and share communal water taps and toilets, the region is densely populated and for those that could earn a meagre wage, that option is now gone as South Africa has been in a military-patrolled lockdown.

I have personally helped some families as I knew the approximate costs of food to feed a family for a month but quickly realized that I couldn’t do it all and that more needed to be done, and in a better way. So yesterday (Mar. 30), Lulama and I chatted, and she came up with a brilliant idea that we are confident will help. 

The concept is to offer an informal food bank. Food would be purchased in bulk from wholesalers she has access to (basics like rice, maize meal, potatoes, soya mince, beans, samp, sugar, cooking oil) and then divided into food parcels for each family unit to get through a month. 

Each parcel would cost R800 which converts to approximately CAD 70 or USD 50 for a family for 1 month. 

If you’re not familiar with township life, then you’re probably thinking that this bit of money couldn’t possibly feed a family for a month. But, I assure you that it would cover the essentials of basic living in South Africa. 

I know that times are tough for many of us, and it’s why I jumped in to help alone. I also know there are many ways we can help during this time, and I encourage you to find a way to help in your own communities in whatever way you can, especially with food, spreading awareness through social media if you have the means, and looking after seniors. They are not expendable, no one is expendable, and we all need to have just a little more compassion and empathy than usual. I am offering you just one way to help. Though the need is great in our own communities, the situation in South Africa is absolutely dire. 

If you are working from home, your income is stable, and if you are interested in helping 1 family or donating however you can, please join me. 

A collage of images taken by the ladies in 2013 during their 1st year.

We are hoping to raise enough to help approximately 30 families for at least a month, maybe two, that Lulama will identify as the most vulnerable. The more we have, the more we can help, but we cannot do it alone. We are hoping this will buy some time until the South African government, NGOs and aid organizations reach those that need it most. Sadly, it may take some time. This is very much a grassroots method of helping a community.

UPDATE: To date, we’ve (Regie & me) received donations from Canada, the USA, and Ireland. A huge thank you to those that have already sent in donations to us. So far, we have sent approximately R 34,000. The first batch of food parcels was delivered to 30 families on April 8, 2020.

UPDATE MAY 1, 2020: We’ve (Regie & me) sent another 17,727.13 to eKhaya eKasi. Another set of food parcels went out on Wed. April 29th from the first batch of donations (R34,000) that were sent to Lulama.

Please note that as of May 1, 2020, Andrea is no longer receiving funds for this initiative that began March 31, 2020. The last 2 donations were sent April 21, 2020. eKhaya eKasi is now receiving fresh vegetables for their community soup kitchen from The Big Food Drive. TBFD goal is to raise enough funds to serve 100,000 meals. I encourage you to send your donations their way as they are doing amazing work in the communities and help is still very much needed.

Thank you for all your support.

CONNECT

Please contact Andrea Rees at connect @ heartofawomanproject. com for further information or connect with Andrea on social media.