In the heart of Khayelitsha’s Harare community stands a remarkable organisation that truly lives up to its name. Sinethemba Ithemba Community Project – meaning “we have hope” in Zulu – has become a source of strength, nourishment, and resilience for hundreds of residents facing daily challenges.
As the need grew, so did Nolitha’s efforts. By 2005, her grassroots work had evolved into a formally registered non-profit organisation, allowing Sinethemba Ithemba to expand its reach and strengthen its impact.
The story of Sinethemba Ithemba began in 2000, when founder Nolitha Ndalasi made a life-changing discovery – a small child abandoned in a park behind her home. The child was HIV positive. What began as an act of compassion soon grew into a lifelong commitment to protect and uplift vulnerable children and families in her community.
“Many of the parents I met were struggling to take their HIV medication because they had no food,” Nolitha recalls. “They couldn’t take their treatment on an empty stomach. That’s when I started a community kitchen, to make sure no one had to choose between hunger and health.”
Sinethemba Ithemba’s work is broad, holistic, and deeply rooted in care. The organisation provides hot, nutritious meals through its community kitchen, supports abused women and children, and cares for orphans and people living with chronic illnesses. It also runs an early childhood development centre, youth initiatives, and a skills development hub offering training in gardening, sewing, knitting, crochet, beading, and mosaic art.
Like their mosaic creations, Sinethemba Ithemba helps put the pieces of people’s lives back together, building confidence, community, and hope one skill at a time.
With the support of FoodForward SA (FFSA), this work has grown even stronger. Sinethemba Ithemba is one of 53 community-based organisations supported by FFSA in Khayelitsha, reaching nearly 16,000 people every month.
“FoodForward SA’s support has made a huge change in my community,” says Nolitha.
“Now we have stable, healthy meals, and no child is malnourished. People can take their medication because they have food. Our community is stronger, happier, and more peaceful because there is hope again.”
Through monthly donations of fresh fruit, vegetables, staples, and non-perishable food, FoodForward SA ensures that Sinethemba Ithemba can serve daily meals and distribute food parcels to families in need. But the partnership extends beyond food; it’s about empowerment and sustainability.
FoodForward SA provides gardening training, seeds, seedlings, and compost to help the community grow its own food. The produce from Sinethemba Ithemba’s thriving garden is bought back by FFSA, supporting local livelihoods while feeding the community.
Participants in the gardening programme receive food parcels during their training, offering immediate relief while they gain valuable long-term skills. “That alone shows stability and hope in their homes,” says Nolitha.
FFSA has supported Sinethemba Ithemba’s growth by purchasing items made by trainees, from tablecloths to handmade crafts – further strengthening local economic resilience.
From one woman’s act of compassion to a community-wide movement, Sinethemba Ithemba continues to transform lives – one meal, one skill, one family at a time.
When you support FoodForward SA, you’re not just providing food – you’re helping build communities of hope. Together, we can empower more organisations like Sinethemba Ithemba to feed, uplift, and restore dignity where it’s needed most. Please donate today and help us grow hope across South Africa.
