In the heart of the Northern Cape, two of our women-led Beneficiary Organisations are doing far more than serving meals. They are building resilience, restoring dignity, and showing what it means to lead with purpose and compassion.
Agang Sechaba and the Colville Community Project are beacons of strength in communities weighed down by poverty, hunger, and social inequality. Their work is rooted in love and fuelled by a shared commitment to uplift the women, children, and families they serve.
Agang Sechaba: Where Food Meets Faith and Community
Founded in 2010 by Rachel Mathsoba, Agang Sechaba began as a creative outlet, bringing young women together through singing, spiritual and cultural dancing. But it quickly became clear that these rehearsals were also revealing deeper issues. Many of the young women arrived hungry, coming from homes impacted by unemployment, displacement, and child-headed households.
Rachel responded not with pity, but with purpose. She started preparing meals, first for the performers, then for their families. What began as a small act of kindness became a daily necessity. Registered in 2011, Agang Sechaba has grown into a full-fledged community organisation serving one nutritious meal a day, four days a week.
That simple meal is transformative. It supports medication adherence, allows parents to job hunt, helps kids focus in class, and even reduces crime. “Food not only nourishes the body, it calms frustration and restores dignity,” says Rachel.
Beyond meals, Agang Sechaba runs a free playgroup and previously offered sewing and skills development programmes. Since 2020, FoodForward SA has been a crucial partner, helping the organisation stretch resources while offering high-quality, often spirit-lifting food.
For Agang Sechaba, Women’s Month is a time of pride. It’s when the organisation hosts spiritual and social gatherings honouring mothers, widows, and all women carrying invisible burdens. “Even the smallest income or skills programme can be a stepping stone,” Rachel says. “You matter, and your choices shape the next generation.”
Colville Community Project: Feeding Hope for Over Two Decades
In Kimberley, another woman has been quietly changing lives for over 25 years. After being retrenched in 1998, Agnes Louw didn’t retreat. She launched the Colville Community Project in October 1999 with one mission: to bring hope and dignity to families in crisis. What started as a response to loss became a lifeline for a community grappling with poverty, crime, school dropouts, and teenage pregnancy.
Agnes’s project now runs five days a week, feeding children, youth, people with disabilities, and the elderly. Many of the women she serves live on child support grants alone. “We make it our mission to serve them with honour and dignity,” she says. “Recognising, uplifting, and appreciating every woman who walks through our doors.”
Women’s Month holds deep meaning for Agnes, too. “It’s about empowerment and making sure no woman is left behind.” With support from FoodForward SA, her project continues to meet daily needs and spark lasting change. “What I see in others must be in me,” Agnes says. “That’s what our Creator planned: doing good, giving hope, and making a difference.”
The Power of Women Leading Women
Agang Sechaba and the Colville Community Project aren’t just feeding programmes, they’re movements led by women who understand the struggles of their communities and choose every day to act with heart, strength, and purpose.
Through their work, Rachel and Agnes remind us that when women lead, they lift entire communities. Their stories are not just worth celebrating during Women’s Month, they deserve recognition every day.
And behind them stands a network of support. With FoodForward SA’s partnership, these women-led Beneficiary Organisations continue to rise, ensuring that food reaches those who need it most, one plate, one person, one act of love at a time.
