Food security is essential for communities like Manenberg.

By Nomacebo Mbayo

Amina Abrahams and Igshaan Dreyer dishing out lunch.

After an incident that claimed a life in Manenberg, Anima Abrahams, Right2Know activist started a nutrition center for the lockdown period. The  incident  gave Amina a wake up call as she realised that a hungry community is an angry community.

Amina who highlighted a need to provide a meal or two for the community during this lockdown as important intervention, decided to work with the Manenberg Youth and Women activists in the community.

Even though gangsterism is a day-to-day life in Manenberg, community members thought things would calm down during the lockdown.

Like any other ignorant community it was business as usual in Manenberg. But the nutrition centre has managed to ensure that children and unemployed parents have access to a meal on a daily basis.

This has given the team a drive to look forward to beyond having a meal during the day to requesting for assistance to assist these families to stay at home with access to essential goods so that parents could provide at home.

 A request for food parcels was made and just before the President announced the way forward to the lockdown the families got their parcels.

Neighboring Manenberg  is Tambo Village and community leader Nonzame Dlongodlongo is also playing her part leading a team in the community nutrition centre.

“When I was told of the lockdown I had a sleepless night thinking of the beneficiaries and how they would cope in these challenging times. I was worried of the school kids who also benefit during school holidays. We had no choice but to close the centre and wait for the signal”, Nonzame commented.

Later that week the women thought it was best for them to request a working permit because they believed that their work was essential. The community nutrition centre was opened and the community rejoiced to see that the one needed essential would be provided.

To insure that the beneficiaries are safe at all cost things have to change. To practice social distance they prepare the meal and deliver to the people by home address. Challenges for them are that as the lockdown expands the demand is higher.

This group is also looking for donations to sustain the families but after weeks of request no one has come to the party yet so give the families essentials.

This group is accredited as essential workers to operate the kitchen and continue to provide the community a meal each day.