A soup kitchen run by 12 women is feeding more than 1 500 people a week in Bonteheuwel.
The women of Beitul-Maal, a charity, prepare the meals at their homes and give food to the needy from Monday to Thursday and on Saturday.
Sponsors donate ingredients to keep the soup kitchen going.
The women also launched a social welfare office, which runs out of the Bonteheuwel mosque on the corner of Jakkesvlei Avenue and Ironwood Street. It provides trauma counselling, drug rehabilitation, job-skills training, parenting programmes and charity drives,
The group’s social-welfare coordinator, Mushfeeqah van der Schyff, said the soup kitchen met a big need in Bonteheuwel, and it was “sorely missed” when it didn’t run.
The social-welfare progammes had also helped many people, “especially drug addicts who we have sent for treatment”, she said.
The organisation had also provided 125 people with grocery parcels and meat packs since the start of the year.
One of the cooks, Soraya Abrahams, said it was fulfilling being part of Beitul-Maal
“I have opportunity to put smiles on many faces. I know that this has been my calling.”
Another cook, Aisha Isaac, said she got involved because children had been knocking at her door asking for food.
Mymoena Ryan said it had been her “lifelong passion” to serve the community.