Following a devastating fire that ravaged the community of Imizamo Yethu in 2017, a group of residents took it upon themselves to start a feeding scheme to assist those families affected by the infernos. The Community Cook-Up, a voluntary association in Hout Bay, provides hot meals to hundreds of people every Friday night to ensure that no one in the areas goes hungry.

A volunteer at the association Alexis Burg said they face great challenges but every week without fail they are able to provide food to those in dire need.

“We are a voluntary organisation from the area and every Friday and operate out of temporary residential addresses that many fire victims still live in. Although our core focus is the Imizamo Yethu area we do try and cater for the broader Hout Bay area,” she said.

Another volunteer Uzusiphe Bob Nkuzo said the organisation’s aim is to feed as many children as possible.

“Our aim to feed all those children who are unable to provide for themselves, many of these children come from homes where there are only one provider and in many instances a lot of these children come from families where unemployment is rife,” Nkuzo said.

Burg said the response from the community has been overwhelming with people coming out in their numbers to support the cause.

“We need more than one hundred children, but we also cater for the elderly and anyone else who needs a hot meal. We are very fortunate to get donations from restaurants in the area, various organisations and from residents,” she stated.

“Generally, we cook 8x 25 litres of stew and four pots of rice, but residents also come out with their own food supplied from their own pockets and hand them out with us on a Friday which means more mouths are being fed,” she said.

Nkuzo said the aim is to eventually have a designated space where children can come in and do their homework while volunteers provided educational activities and a hot meal.

“All these children need is a push in the right direction and people to look up to,” he said

To help Community Cook-Up in any way call Alexis Burg on 083 229 5174 or Tjarla Norton on 082 427 3167.

VOC