Did you know that to alleviate poverty as well as hunger, 75% of FoodForward SA’s Beneficiary Organisations focus on education, skills development, youth development and the uplifting of women?
The Amy Foundation, a non-profit organisation formerly known as the Amy Biehl Foundation based in Athlone, was named after American student and anti-apartheid activist, Amy Biehl, who was murdered in Cape Town by an angry mob in 1993. Amy was committed to making a difference in South Africa. To honour her love of South Africa, her parents founded the foundation in her name.
The organisation strives to provide a safe environment in vulnerable communities where it develops emotionally well-rounded children and youth who strive to make positive life choices and become contributing members of society.
For 22 years, the Amy Foundation has been working hard to provide learners in the Cape Town area with opportunities. With over 2,000 children participating in their programmes daily, the Amy Foundation empowers both the participants at schools in Athlone as well as communities in Crossroads, Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Philipi and Bonteheuwel.
Currently, 557 learners benefit from the Youth Skills Development Programme and 1,721 benefit from the After-School Programme.
The organisation had to increase the number of classes and activities in the past few years to accommodate for the growth, and this includes music classes such as brass instruments, violin, guitar, as well as dance, drama, greening & environmental, literacy, sport, computers, literacy, HIV Aids and substance abuse prevention & peer education. Many of these programmes are held during school holidays, at special camps, and youth skills development and vocational training days.
Through this new partnership with FoodForward SA, learners will also receive nutritious meals every day that will give them the energy they need to participate in the different programmes available to them.
The Amy Foundation’s future plans include expanding their After-School Programme, and to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of programmes in order to offer impactful programmes that will change the children’s lives.
Last year, FoodForward SA provided 17.6 million meals across the country through its network of 600 beneficiary organisations, at a cost of only R0,79 per meal. This is achieved because of its partnership with all the major wholesalers, retailers, and manufacturers, as well as farmers, who donate quality, within date, edible surplus food.