Proceeds from special event to cover student expenses 

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Institute Youth Projects in South Africa hosted an event on Mandela Day, which falls on July 18, with the support of the well-known chef Jenny Morris and her Soul Food Kitchen. The event had a significant impact on the most disadvantaged youth and communities. Proceeds from the event will cover expenses for students, including three cooked meals a day to support their educational development. 

Thanks to the help of sponsors, such as Blue Ribbon, the event served more than 9,000 sandwiches in at-risk communities in Cape Town. The event was also attended by private citizens and local companies that provided products to prepare meals, including almost 700 gallons of soup. 

Youth in the NEET program for young people not engaged in study, work or training, along with youth from the Stitch Ahead tailoring training project, distributed other resources in targeted areas of Cape Town. 

In addition, Coca Cola provided tables and gazebos and organized entertainment, ensuring a lively and fun atmosphere for all participants. The Salesian Institute’s Learn to Live Marimba Band and the choir performed music for the event. Many youth were given the opportunity to experience a trip aboard an open-top tourist bus. They traveled from the Century City district to the center of Cape Town. 

A Salesian said, “We appreciate Jenny Morris and all the companies that contributed. We extend our deepest gratitude to all those who, braving the rain and cold, wanted to help the most disadvantaged.”  

Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been providing education, emotional support and skills development training for at-risk youth in Cape Town since 1910. The institute has been instrumental in changing the lives of hundreds of at-risk and vulnerable youth who would otherwise not have been able to access the job market. 

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty. 

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Sources:  

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)   

ANS – South Africa – “Mandela Day” a great success: more than 10,000 meals served to disadvantaged communities in Cape Town 

Salesian Institute Youth Projects 

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook 

Salesian Missions – South Africa 

UNICEF – South Africa