Food4Futures-Ithemba Le Kamva

Perspective

The Eastern Cape has long been the province with the highest unemployment rate in South Africa.
As of Q4 2023, the official unemployment rate was 41.9%, and 53.2% for those aged 15–34 years
(Eastern Cape Socio-economic Consultative Council: https://ecsecc.org.za/informationcentre ). In
addition, municipal service delivery in the province has been very poor due to corruption in the
provincial government, fragmented planning, and limited infrastructure maintenance. The resulting
crises in, for example, water supplies and road maintenance have added to the misery and sense of
hopelessness in many poor communities.

A lifeline for those in desperate need

Food4Futures-Ithemba Le Kamva is a Makhanda (previously Grahamstown)-based non-profit
organisation that was created to help alleviate high levels of hunger in the local community. Today it
does so much more than that as it aims to bring hope to those struggling the most by bridging the
gap between those in need and those with the means.

Food4Futures (F4F) works with people who are unemployed, and with little or no income at all. It
currently distributes approximately 200 parcels twice a month, providing food to around 900 people.

They make 720 peanut butter sandwiches every Monday, in packs of two sandwiches, giving them to
anyone who comes to their door.

They supply extra food through a project called Parking4Parcels, whereby booklets of vouchers are
sold to the public who can give them to parking attendants. These can then be taken to F4F and
exchanged for food. This food is bought wholesale and packed at wholesale cost price.
Parking4Parcels currently provides “voucher food” at between R3,000 and R3,500 a month.

In addition to food, F4F also offers other free services:

• They pay the fee (R140) for ID Documents. This is a great help to those who need IDs as it can open many doors for them.
• They advise, and act on behalf of, people struggling with the red-tape of applications for grants (SASSA – disability and pensions, child grants.)
• They assist people with family disputes (e.g. inheritance issues)
• They collect and distribute used clothing, shoes, bedding, household items, and sanitary items.
• They assist families who cannot afford school supplies of stationery, books, shoes and uniforms.

F4F’s Care4Community project helps people who are lonely, housebound, and who have special needs – both physical and emotional. It supplies adult nappies, bed linen, books, knitting and crochet materials, cards and games. Volunteers also spend time visiting with them… they find that this time of companionship is the most valuable gift.

Thembisa has supported Food4Futures since the 2021/2022 financial year.

https://food4futures.co.za/