After losing their jobs during the hard lockdown, as well as facing a near eviction, a couple based in the Cape Flats reached out to their community for help. Now, they’ve made it their mission to give back what they can to the homeless and hungry in Factreton, as The Wall expresses.
Some people have a life mission that attests to living luxuriously, but for Auden and Carmen Hector, their combined operation falls under aiding people in living one day less hungry.
The Hectors have been providing 250 homeless people with hot and hearty meals every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as part of their 123-movement initiative. This has been an on-going example of community upliftment that started roughly a year prior.
“We wanted to give back to the community because during the hard lockdown period we were about to be evicted for non-payments to our landlord; we reached out to the community for assistance as my wife and I had lost our jobs,” Auden expressed. Their community had come through like nights in shining armour in their time of despair, even going as far as to pay a month’s rent on their behalf. When their situation improved, they wanted to say thank you in the form of food security, and haven’t stopped saying thank you since.
Biryani and Soup for the Soul
The main meal that the couple provides is none other than a local favourite- mouthwatering biryani and hearty soup. Why is it for the soul? Well, anything made in love is made well and definitely feeds one’s soul as well as one’s belly.
As one homeless man by the name of Ryan Pharo expressed:
“Living on the streets is tough, sometimes we have no food at all to eat. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are my favourite days as I know I’ll be getting some nice foods,” he said.
Pharo recalled that it had been a long time since he last had a decent plate of biryani.
Auden Hector works as a retail clerk, and is the prime sourcer of the delicious ingredients.
From the mouth to the mind
The couple strives to bring their initiatives to different parts of Our Mother City.
As Auden further notes, the Hector family want to launch a learning base to equip the youth with information to help them soar in life.
“We are hoping that members of the public will be able to donate chairs, desks/tables, computers, book shelves, reading material, sewing machines, tradesman’s power tools and musical instruments to kickstart their learning base project,” he adds.
For those whom this story has touched, kindly spread the word and perhaps the larger Cape {town} Community can get behind furthering what the Hector family began.
Picture: Unsplash