My name is Naiela, I have been involved with Greenlight Community Project since 2012. We have been running a soup kitchen since then.
We started feeding 30 adults and 50 kids. Pre-Covid our numbers went up to 200 adults and 50 kids. We ensure that we are PPE compliant when making food as well as when we distribute. We are mindful to keep our 1.5m distances at all times.
We agreed that all food will be Halaal so that we are able to feed everyone, no matter their religion. Covid has really made us realise that we need to unite no matter religion, race, colour or creed as it is bigger than all of that.
We are currently feeding almost 540 families in collaboration with Residents Association, KenFac CAN, Muslim Association, Oude Molen Stables, Village Tods Educare, Soccer Club, Housing forum for backyard dwellers and Garden Village Primary School. We also have 2 informal areas that we supply with water, food and sanitation products.
It is truly amazing how entities came together to help feed our community. That why I leave my house every day to see that people are fed. I maintain that if people are fed, they would have no reason to roam the streets and only then will they comply with COVID rules.
We also assist with counselling referrals, housing rebates and other housing issues. Community awareness re-Covid and education on how to stay safe. We are also in the process of having masks made for the community.
We have street reps that are willing to distribute food in their roads when donors bring food, no matter the time. We have school doing a soup kitchen on a Tuesday and a Friday. Greenlight soup on a Wednesday. Thursday, we have a Muslim organization distributing food. Monday, Saturday and Sunday we have donors giving food, which our street reps distribute.
As I said, we have 540 households. We managed to supply 230 households with emergency relief parcels with help of Kenfac CAN. We are still trying to source 310 parcels to distribute while we waiting on social development parcels. In the meantime, we just feeding on a day to day basis. We would like to supply our community with more fresh fruit and vegetables as well as sanitary products.
Contact Naiela – naielab857@gmail.com