Gardens Commercial High School host their first annual Ramadaan soup kitchen
6 June 2019
During the month of Ramadaan, Muslims are encouraged to give charity to others. Muslim members of staff at Gardens Commercial High School had meetings to discuss how they could do this at school and came up with the idea of a soup kitchen.
Nuhaa Toefy, an Economics teacher, took charge of the initiative and was supported by staff of various faiths. A request for a donation of money was made to all staff members and again staff members from different faiths contributed. On the day of the soup kitchen, staff and learners helped with the preparation of ingredients and the making of the soup.
Principal Dylan Tommy explained that as part of the school’s values programme, the school adopted seven core values which they try to instil in all staff and learners. “One of the values is a sense of caring. We believe it is important that our learner care for each other and people in general.”
The school also has a daily feeding scheme which provides sandwiches to learners who cannot afford to bring something to eat to school. Once a term toiletries and food are collected and donated to families who are struggling financially. For Mandela Day, the school prepares sandwiches and soup, which is handed out to homeless people in the surrounding area.
Tommy said the Ramadaan soup kitchen was well received by learners and the public. Learners went out in the Company Gardens, which is where the school is situated, to hand out soup to the homeless and passers-by. Everyone who received a cup of soup was really appreciative.
