CAPE TOWN, South Africa, 18 July 2023 – SA Harvest celebrated this year’s Mandela Day by honouring 20 remarkable women from across Cape Town. These women, from regions as diverse as Kuilsrivier, Lavender Hill, the inner city, and Philippi, demonstrate the spirit of Mandela Day every day as they rise each morning to cook for and feed their communities.
The special event, held at the Makers Landing Kitchen, offered these community heroes a unique experience. They spent the morning exploring new culinary techniques, working with a UCOOK box of ingredients, their laughter and joy filling the air. Dressed in stunning traditional attire, each woman had the chance to win a prize from the Silo Hotel, while the creator of the best-looking meal won a dining experience for two at the Den Anker restaurant at the V&A Waterfront.
Hilda Fell and Jacoba Hamman (Jacoba Walk to Talk)
“We were honoured to celebrate these extraordinary women, their dedication, and love for their communities, which mirrors the spirit of Mandela Day,” shared Ozzy Nel, COO of SA Harvest. “Their service is a testament to the power of community involvement in combating hunger, and today, we were able to give them a morning of joy as an expression of our gratitude to them and in recognition of the selflessness of many other women and men who cook every day for the hungry in their communities.”
In addition to these memorable experiences, each woman received a gift of a ride for two on the Cape Wheel, a gesture of appreciation for their daily efforts to uplift those around them. Sweet Lion Heart brought even more sweetness to the day with a special treat of delicious cupcakes, while Flower Cafe provided beautiful flowers to adorn the venue and Sir Fruit provided nourishing liquid refreshments.
“The images from this event capture moments of joy, learning, and community, reflecting the spirit of Mandela Day. SA Harvest is incredibly proud to have shared this day with these 20 amazing women, expressing gratitude for their selfless contributions and reminding us all that we can make every day a Mandela Day,” concludes Nel.
Nozipho Bunzi (Nceduluntu Soup Kitchen)
SA Harvest is a national food rescue and hunger relief organisation that has delivered 44,3 million meals and rescued 13,4 million tonnes of food since its inception in 2019. The organisation is currently running a Million Meals Month campaign under the banner of its advocacy arm, #UnionAgainstHunger. The campaign aims to deliver a million meals in July and to honour Nelson Mandela’s 67-year-long fight for human rights and social justice by raising awareness about the ongoing injustice of hunger in South Africa and mobilising action to end it.
For more information go to https://saharvest.org/mandela-day-2023/.
Frieda Thompson (New Living Hope)