Phoenix Survival Centre (PSC) is one of FoodForward SA’s 1,250 beneficiary organisations (BOs) and one of 150 that our Durban branch serves across KwaZulu-Natal. Although Caroline Govender and her husband established the non-profit organisation in 2009 as a home for abused, abandoned and destitute women, it now also serves the needs of the less privileged in order to help alleviate poverty.
The couple decided to open a soup kitchen at the centre and acquired a vehicle to deliver meals to the people from surrounding areas, making PSC the only mobile soup kitchen in the area. PSC serves, among others, the communities of Phoenix, Cornubia and Mt Moriah and supports approximately 1450 patrons per week with soup and perishables.
The recent violent uproar in the province has resulted in many businesses being looted and gutted and thousands of people losing their jobs, leaving many families going to bed without a meal. Often PSC cannot cope with the influx of patrons in search of food parcels. They have limited food available, since they have only two donors.
Says Caroline: “We are truly grateful to FoodForward SA’s contributions which helps Phoenix Survival Centre feed abused, abandoned and destitute residents and also assist us to reach out to communities with cooked and uncooked meals. Needless to say, the fresh produce that we receive is very nutritious and are an important part of a healthy diet, as health and safety is our priority. Without FoodForward SA it would not have been possible to continue our humanitarian relief efforts.”
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to FoodForward SA and their management for partnering with PSC to achieve and accomplish our vision and mission of fighting the scourge of poverty in our communities.”
Phoenix Survival Centre hopes to expand their mobile soup kitchen, going beyond their immediate boundaries, to reach out to many more in need.