Happy Mandela Day!

“Freedom is meaningless if people cannot put food in their stomachs”- Nelson Mandela.

1 in 4 South Africans are food insecure without affordable, nutritious food. This year in honour of Mandela Day, we partnered with Mensch on its annual Mandela Day Global Cook-A-Thon to help feed and create future food sustainability for the Langa community.

Thanks to the 120 volunteers and the generous donations, we were able to raise R60 000 and make 500 litres of soup to feed 1500 mouths!

“Madiba’s vision for a new South Africa was one where we all have a role to play, shoulder-to-shoulder, to create a more equitable future for all. This event creates an opportunity for working together to create our shared future, one of resilience, pride and self-actualisation” says Mensch founder and executive director, Gina Flash.

The Langa partners and beneficiaries included SA Urban Food + Farming Trust supported by the JDC, which supports existing and new urban farmers to develop sustainable farming enterprises to support them, their families, and the Langa Community through the provision of food; IKhaya Le Langa a community social enterprise hub in Langa, home to the ‘Sun Diner’ (Langa means ‘sunshine’), a barista-run coffee shop and multiple micro business pilots and employment development initiatives; and, tickets bought also helped set up 200 household food gardens, and provide seedlings and compost to 150 urban farmers, across 31 food farms.

What an incredible way to bring communities together in Langa, and virtually around the world – to honour the legacy, leadership and vision of Madiba.