A Bonteheuwel woman wakes at 5am each day to make sandwiches for children whose families can’t afford to pack them lunch.
Sandra Jantjies is known in the community for her charitable work, including packing Santa Shoeboxes, organising lunches for seniors and running a soup kitchen in winter.
She says she started making the sandwiches for the schoolchildren after realising how many of them were going hungry at school.
“The week before school started, I was lying in bed and thought about the many children that I know who go to school on a hungry stomach. I spoke to God about it. I know you cannot teach a hungry child. My immediate thought was to approach a local business owner who always supports my projects, and he didn’t even think twice. I started with seven loaves of bread on the day school started.”
She bought peanut butter and jam for the first batch of sandwiches, but after posting on Facebook about her latest project her regular supporters responded with offers of help.
As the donations poured in, so the number of children coming to collect them on their way to school grew.
“Some of them start to eat their sandwiches as they leave here. It just shows how hungry they are. I knew there was a need for this, I just did not think the need was this great. I now make 80 sandwiches a day. It is sad to see how many children come to me in the morning.”
Ms Jantjies needs donations of bread and fillings to keep the project going. Call 084 399 9483 if you can help.