Food for the soul at Etete soup kitchen

Nineteen years ago, an Etete woman found it in her heart to feed hungry orphans in her neighbourhood – today she runs a soup kitchen that feeds over 50 children.

Last Wednesday, Siphiwe Maphumulo (67) shared her story with The North Coast Courier Orphan Fund, saying the idea to start a soup kitchen came soon after seeing three children who survived by eating only sugar cane every day.

“I felt that I had to do something, so I spoke with my late husband and he helped me to buy food for the soup kitchen. We also fed some of my relatives who were vulnerable.”

As time passed, more hungry children arrived at her home desperate for a warm meal.

“You cannot chase away children when they say ‘gogo we are hungry’. We had to prepare whatever we had. It was tough because we had no sponsors. Thank you to The North Coast Courier Orphan Fund and Brenda Hill-Balcom from Lali Foods in Umhlali for helping us.”

Lali Foods receive R5500 every three months from the Orphan Fund to support the soup kitchen and the Safe Heaven for Children and Elders in Lindelani.

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Maphumulo said while she aimed to feed the children every day, the lack of food sources sometimes saw her cook only two or three times a week.

Her menu consists of samp, beans, and morvite.

She needed the soup kitchen to provide more than just food for the stomach but also food for the soul.

So, she also offered bible study classes to the children and after the tummies are filled, the children would perform Zulu dance and sing gospel songs.

The ‘gogo’ is now planning to open a creche as there are no creches in their area.

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