An organisation founded after a call to feed children at a Kayamandi school has transformed into a developmental and multi-pronged organisation focused on the holistic growth of families in the local township.
When teachers of Ikaya Primary issued a plea to the broader Stellenbosch community to help feed learners of the school in 2005, it was not envisioned that the organisation would gain wings and take flight to become the powerhouse foundation it is today.
The Stellenbosch Community Development Programme, which it is registered as, was founded by Annabel Rosholt, who heeded the teachers’ call and rallied the troops to assist in filling hungry tummies.
Today, the Kayamandi-based organisation is fondly known as Love to Give, a more descriptive name of the organisation’s mission to be “a caring community”.
Located in School Crescent, it has grown by leaps and bounds since its establishment, with various programmes aimed at holistically developing and empowering the most vulnerable in the community it serves.
Rosholt is still actively involved in the organisation, now fulfilling the role of project director.
Hester Verschuur, programme and centre manager at Love to Give, says the organisation’s mission is to transform families and children into embracing financial autonomy and food security, also empowering children to have a greater chance at success in life.
She said: “Love to Give’s vision is to turn a healthy parent out, preferably with a living income through their own business or a job, along with a healthy, well-nourished child with quality education.”
This is achieved through a host of targeted programmes offered to various segments of the community. These include youth internships, learner educational support, the Sustainable Livelihoods Programme, community and home food gardens and effective nutrition.
The programmes mostly target vulnerable children, unemployed parents and the youths taken in as interns, Verschuur related. Furthermore, Love to Give has enjoyed much success with its programmes over the years, continuously growing its offerings for the betterment of the community.
She said: “Some of the highlights of the last five years include empowering 220 families annually to improve their lives, giving them food and then, through a multi-prong approach, empowering them in other ways to start earning an income.
“Another success is the feeding of 2 000 children daily, and then improving their chances of success at school through our book sharing library and @HomeLearning Programme.”
Like most community-based organisations, though, Love to Give’s growth has been stunted by lack of funding, she conceded. It is solely funded through private and corporate donations.
“Lack of funds and space and the need for more social workers are just some of the challenges we experience,” Verschuur related.
“We would like to assist more children with nutritious food, more families with food parcels and social workers, and to build a large meeting room on and toilets at our centre.”
The organisation currently employees seven staff members as well as 28 interns through the Year Beyond Programme. Verschuur also called on the community to volunteer their time at Love to Give, as there is always a dire need for extra hands.
“Volunteers are always welcome to come and do talks and workshops with our beneficiaries,” she said, “work in our vegetable gardens, assist with homework with children during afternoons and trained psychologists or counsellors giving of their time to do individual and group sessions with people.
“Furthermore, donations of clothes and dry foods, seedlings for our vegetable gardens and funds are always needed.”
In the short term, Love to Give’s goal is to find internships for unemployed youths as well as funding or food donations for its after-school nutrition programme. Over the long term it hopes to renovate its centre, which will enable it to serve more people in the community and change lives through its programmes.
For more information on how get involved or on Love to Give, contact Annabel Rosholt on annabel@lovetogive.org.za or Hester Verschuur on hester@lovetogive.org.za.
Alternatively, visit www.lovetogive.org.za or follow Love to Give/Stellenbosch Community Development Programme on Facebook and Instagram.
