Invisible Hands is on the brink of achieving its target of feeding four million people. NONTOBEKO AISHA MKHWANAZI reports.
‘KANALA does titie or boeta have something for me to eat?’
In a contest to rank the most frequently heard yet heart-breaking appeal in the Western Cape, this plea would definitely claim the top spot.
Every day, women, men, and children afflicted by hunger and despair set out to every street corner, Masjid, and mall in a quest to get help. They go door to door and in sombre tones pose this plea to anyone they meet, hoping for anything to fill their empty stomachs.
As they utter the word shukran (thank you) more than once, they ooze with gratitude even when given just one slice of bread, which they share with their families.
Meanwhile, in schools and madrassahs, many children from hunger-stricken areas struggle with fatigue because they have not eaten for days.
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With some expressing that they have no food at their home, for them, school or madrassah has become a happy place because they not only learn but also get a plate of food, providing some relief from their hunger.
In a proactive response to these and many more concerning poverty and hunger indicators in the Western Cape, Invisible Hands (IH) is set to achieve its target of providing over four million meals to those in need before the end of Ramadaan (a target set in lockdown in March 2020).
Established in 2015 in Wynberg by its Chief Executive Officer, Yusuf Gabier – well-known as Joe Spaza – and the organisation’s Chief Financial Officer, Faieck Samsodien, Invisible Hands is an organisation that aims to eradicate hunger one meal at a time.
‘We saw so many hungry people and decided that if we could make a difference in one person’s life, then we would have achieved our objective. Following the teachings of the best of mankind, Prophet Muhammad (SAW), to give what one has regardless of how little it maybe, we then started this organisation with nothing but 80 cents in a kitty and today we are grateful to be providing meals to different areas across the Western Cape,’ says Gabier.
He highlights that community involvement is the backbone of the organisation.
‘Since inception our main goal was not to only provide the needy with food parcels but with a warm cooked nutritious meal as some of them cannot afford electricity; some are even homeless. So, providing them uncooked food would not have been as effective. We had this big dream and struggled for funding. Even today we still struggle but we are grateful to the family, friends, colleagues, partners, and community members who have been contributing every bit they have to ensuring people do not go to bed hungry,’ says Gabier.
He also expresses that when Covid-19 hit the world, he prayed for an incredible, dedicated, and loving team, good health and finance in order to be of service to humanity.
‘Allah answered my prayers as Faghri Kamies, Faizel Abrahams and Riedwaan Amlay joined Invisible Hands and have been tirelessly working hard to achieve the organisation’s mission to restore the dignity of the needy and ultimately end hunger. It was also during this period when we set a target and said in 2024 we want to have provided the needy with over four million meals,’ added Gabier.
In May 2022, Invisible Hands relocated its base to Athlone and until today the team cooks between 100 to 150, 100-litre pots of food every day, despite their ongoing financial challenges.
‘We cook a 100-litre pot of food for R1250, which feeds about 280 children with each meal costing R4.46. Our ultimate rice meal, however, costs R3000 for a 100 litre pot that feeds 180 adults, at a cost of R16.67 per meal. For sustainability purposes, costs are kept as low as possible so,’ says Amlay.
In teaching the youth the principle of being selfless, Invisible Hands also hosts mentorship and volunteering programmes for the youth.
‘The youth are taught the basics of cooking, they are taught the virtue of discipline, commitment, and the importance of selflessness. And throughout the past this programme has encouraged the youth to ultimately love giving back and developing the community,’ says Amlay.
Invisible Hands is aligned with over 150 smaller NPO’s and charities that distribute the cooked meals to their communities, more especially to the children and the elderly.
‘Areas that are covered stretch from Wynberg to Muizenberg, to Mitchells Plain, Delft, Hanover Park, Atlantis, Paarl, Worcester, Grabouw, Porterville and many more,’ added Amlay.
He also notes that currently the organisation not only provides meals but assists students pursuing Islamic studies who come from poor backgrounds.
‘We assist the students regardless of whether they are studying in South Africa or any other country,’ he says.
In addition, the organisation is currently on a drive for donations towards the continuity of cooking more than 500, 100l pots of food monthly.
‘IH cooks warm meals throughout the year. We also have some schools that collect these warm cooked meals from us during the week, says Amlay.
To date, since the start of lockdown in March 2020, Invisible Hands has provided over 3 750 000 warm cooked meals.
‘By the end of Ramadan 1445, IH will be celebrating the cooking in excess of four million meals from the start of lockdown. However, without the help of the community Invisible Hands will not be able to achieve our mission,’ said Amlay.
He urges the community to donate anything they have in order to help Invisible Hands eradicate hunger.
‘People are not only hungry during Ramadaan, as we give charity during this blessed month, let it be the beginning of our life-long habitual practice. To help the needy, change lives and inspire hope,’ he says.
For more information or to donate contact Invisible Hands via email: info@invisiblehands.co.za; visit their Facebook page @Invisible Hands, call 084 550 6793 or visit their offices at 2 Gleemor Street, Athlone, Cape Town.
