Florence Khomo Sizanani Home
Photo Cred: Brent Lindeque | Good Things Guy

Florence Khomo has dedicated her life to looking after the lost and vulnerable kids in Soweto and helps feed over 450 little mouths every single day.

 

Soweto, South Africa (6 December 2019) – Florence Khomo is an incredible South African who has been looking after the lost and vulnerable children in Soweto for most of her life. Her mother started a feeding program in Orlando West in 1991 and Florence took over the responsibility when the matriarch in her family passed on.

The passionate South African gave up her career and salary to dedicate her life to looking after the kids.

Sizanani Home Based Care Givers Project” now provides psycho-social support services to over 450 children and families every single day. The centre has become both a safe haven and sanctuary for the kids who visit Mama Flo daily.

Good Things Guy was invited to spend the day with Florence and the kids. This is their story.

I met a hero today, a South African who selflessly gives everything she has to help 450 children eat every single day.

Her mother started the Sizanani home in 1991 and Florence Khomo took over the task when her mom passed away in 2015 because in her words “If I am not here, who will help them? Where will they go?”

The government hardly help. They give her a monthly stipend that will make you shudder. It will actually make you feel sick, but thanks to initiatives like “Add Hope” she is able to give these innocent children their only meal every day.

Some kids are as young as 6 months old. Some live on the street, some are from the poorest of families, and some are trying to be the adult of their home at just 7 years old.

She worries a lot. Her vegetable garden was recently broken into by someone who was hungry. Her cupboards are almost bare, the roof is leaking, and January will soon be here. These kids will need school shoes and clothing, and food… “but that’s tomorrow’s problem”.

Today these kids need food and love. That is what she has and that is what she’ll give them.

She keeps saying that what she is doing is just not enough, but all I see is someone who is doing everything and then some more, giving her all to help little kids in need.

I met a hero today. A hero who showed me what it means to give your all for someone else and a hero who showed me exactly how far a silly little R2 can go.

Florence Khomo Sizanani Home
Photo Cred: Brent Lindeque | Good Things Guy

Add Hope – a powerful initiative started in 2009 that sees KFC customers and staff unite in the fight against hunger – has now reached the milestone of feeding over 150,000 children around the country nutritious meals, every day, through supporting sustainable feeding programmes at a growing list of 143 beneficiary organisations.

These include childhood development organisations, children’s homes and school feeding programmes. The initiative partners with these beneficiaries to ensure that children are receiving a nutritious meal daily.

“Add Hope has taken a partnership approach to ensure that every R2 donation reaches children in the most effective way, supporting sustainable feeding programmes at a growing list of 143 beneficiary organisations. We currently support more than 140 non – profit organisations and provides more than 30 million meals a year, and each day, 150,000 in need children go to bed with full tummies thanks to Add Hope. This way, you can be sure that Add Hope funds are reaching communities near you.”

Add Hope has raised more than R700 million in customer and KFC donations combined

In South Africa, 26% of children under the age of nine are stunted as they do not receive sufficient nutrition for proper brain and physical development. This means they cannot learn and play as other children would.

The scary reality is that 1,120 children under the age of 5 die of malnutrition in South Africa.

Thabisa Mkhwanazi, KFC Public Affairs Director and Add Hope champion says, “It’s unthinkable that children in our country are still dying from hunger and malnutrition, both preventable causes, with stunting affecting millions more. While this is an issue that should have our attention, sadly, people have become numb to bad news. In fact, you don’t need to look far; our social media timelines are flooded with headlines that shouldn’t trend, while the important ones get lost in the news cycle.”

KFC’s corporate social responsibility programme, Add Hope, hopes to change this by making a difference in the lives of children in South Africa, providing them with nutritional meals to help them learn, grow and thrive.

Running all year round, Add Hope is a national feeding initiative, allowing KFC customers to purchase ‘hope’ off the menu for just R2. This way, every one of us has the power to change someone’s life, with every donation going directly to one of 143 Add Hope beneficiaries.

For more information, please visit www.addhope.co.za


Sources: Florence Khomo | Good Things Guy 
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About the Author

Brent Lindeque is the founder and editor in charge at Good Things Guy.

Recognised as one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 Young South African’s as well as a Primedia LeadSA Hero, Brent is a change maker, thought leader, radio host, foodie, vlogger, writer and all round good guy.

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