The YouTube channel, Cape Malay Jawwap, is airing a new series, Pinkie’s Chow, with the hope of filling more hungry tummies in Hanover Park and other needy communities.
There will be three seasons for now. The first five episodes are already available on the channel.
The series features Abduraghmaan “Pinkie“ Galant whose family ended up in Lansdowne after being forcibly removed from Claremont under apartheid.
Mr Galant speaks about his family home and what it was like growing up during apartheid, and the series also documents activities around the family’s feeding scheme, which was registered in 2017 and feeds about 500 people in Hanover Park three times a week.
They also serve food in Mitchell’s Plain, Philippi, Schaapkraal, Grassy Park, Lansdowne Road, Cape Town CBD, Belgravia, Gatesville, Vygieskraal, and Retreat.
Mr Galant, 67, says he comes from a family that always made large pots of food for the poor. He recalls going into poor communities with his mother who would cook for the needy.
“I must thank Boeta Isaacs, Rushdi and Luthfi for sponsoring my pots and gas,” he says. “They are the sons of my late friend, Faiz Isaacs, may the Almighty be pleased with him, and also my brother-in-law, Noor, better known as ’Kador’ Moos, for arranging the sponsors for the two-plate burner stove, and all of our other supporters. We are grateful for the support.”
Without donations of bread, jam, peanut butter, vegetables, rice, meat, spices and money it wouldn’t be possible to feed so many, he says.
“We also cook out of our pockets and help the ones who try to honour their deceased loved ones. They would bring us all of the ingredients, and we will cook for them. Some also drop off the tubs for us to hand out. Some days these pots stand still; we take it one day at a time. The need is very big.”
Mr Galant says he hopes the stories will inspire others to better themselves and then inspire others.
Founder and co-director Fatima Galant Abrahams says donations have dropped because of Covid-19, and it “breaks her heart” to see children who haven’t eaten all day apart from the meal they get at school.
The feeding scheme also gives pap and clothing to daycare centres and orphanages, and sometimes it helps old-age homes. Ms Abrahams says there is a dire need in the area they serve for nutritious breakfasts, hot meals, clean water and education.
“We like to maintain a learning culture, but no one is able to concentrate on an empty stomach. Many of these children come from disturbed family backgrounds where gangsterism and drugs play a huge role and where they are deprived of their right to belong whether that is to a family, the right for education or the right for good diet or health.”
To make a donation to the feeding scheme, call Fatima Galant-Abrahams at 073 797 3994 or email skylimitprojman@gmail.com or thecapemalay@gmail.com