Unemployed mother and daughter feed the hungry in their community

Shanaaz Hackley from Belhar in Cape Town feeds the masses from her pension and flea market income. Picture: Nomzamo Yuku

Shanaaz Hackley from Belhar in Cape Town feeds the masses from her pension and flea market income. Picture: Nomzamo Yuku

Published Jul 5, 2022

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Cape Town – Struggling as they are, the Hackley family from Belhar openS their home and breaks bread with community, serving meals every Tuesday.

Depending on ingredients available, they serve anything between breyani, bread with warm soup at 5 Perkins Street from 2pm.

The family is engulfed with poverty itself, but has always offered food and a helping hand to anyone who come asking.

Four weeks ago, Shanaaz Hackley, 60, with her two daughters, decided to cook a bigger pot because the demand kept growing and she said her heart aches each time she had to turn someone away because her food was finished.

Every Tuesday, young and old from Belhar in Cape Town look forward to the next serving since the Hackley started off with their soup kitchen last month. Picture: Nomzamo Yuku

She dished up for those who came asking from the food she prepared for her family. But on June 14 she decided to use her ingredients to cook and announced that she'd be serving food. Surprisingly, about 100 people, young and old flocked outside her home. Luckily they had enough.

"I feel the need to provide and give back as when I was younger there was nothing like this. I grew up during the apartheid times where our parents struggled and had to work hard. Those memories stuck with me.

“Today is no different, raising a family is expensive, and with the growing costs of housing, childcare and other essentials, it’s no surprise that more and more families are struggling to make ends meet," said Hackley.

"I can't stand to see the next person hungry. I try to help where I can and decided to just do this weekly serving so when I say I don't have people, at least know I am preparing something for them. This is my way of saying they shouldn't give up in life, there are people who care."

Hackley does the cooking while her daughters offered to collect donations to add to the little they have and to hand out the meals.

Her daughter, Faranaaz, 22, said: "My mom has a big heart but sadly she's now old and doesn't have the energy to everything she likes by herself. I and my sister decided we are going to make her wish a success. She cooks and we do the hand outs and everything else."

Unemployment and struggling wouldn't detor Faranaaz Hackley from serving her community. Picture: Nomzamo Yuku

Faranaaz says the numbers grew tremendously over the past three weeks, up to 200 people per serving.

One of them is Myrtle Geldenhuys, 35, who has just moved to the area. "I am unemployed, with four children at home. I was so relieved to find out they offer the food here as I at least don't have to worry much about food for the day. I know whatever we eat, at least we will get a proper meal on a Tuesday and my kids likes it."

Rachel Demas, 65, is an old resident and said the family has always been helpful to the community. "We can always ask them for anything. We thank them for doing this for our community," said Demas.

Hackley relies on her pension money and an income she gets from a flea market she goes to three times a week. Meanwhile, Faranaaz has been unemployed since 2019.

Weekend Argus

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