Charmaine Boois
MARIENTAL – A pensioner has taken it upon herself to feed hungry and vulnerable children in Mariental.
“I don’t have children – maybe it was God’s plan. I have so much love for these children,” says Anna Ida Mungunda, who feeds 100 children from a soup kitchen at her home in the Donga neighbourhood twice a week.
Prior to retirement in 2018, Mungunda worked for the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry.
She also dedicated over 20 years to being a Sunday school teacher at Alfa Omega Rhenish Church.
This deeply influenced her empathy for children’s welfare, a sentiment that continues to persist.
“Spending time with children at Sunday school helped strengthen my love for them,” reflects Mungunda.
After retiring from her 20-year stint as a Sunday school teacher in March 2021, this passion continued to drive her to address the needs she witnessed first-hand in her community.
She established the Safe Haven Soup Kitchen at her home in June 2021.
This simple, yet effective, programme feeds vulnerable children in her community and the areas of Aimablaagte and Ombili.
She says the soup kitchen idea came to her one day when two starving children showed up at her doorstep. She immediately offered them bread and juice.
The children told her their parents were at a bar, and had left them home alone and hungry, which deeply saddened her.
At its inception in 2021, the soup kitchen fed 35 children.
It has since grown to accommodate 100 children, who visit Mungunda’s home every Tuesday and Friday for a warm meal.
Despite its growth, the journey has been fraught with financial challenges.
Mungunda and her spouse primarily rely on their pensions to sustain the soup kitchen, supplemented by occasional donations that became irregular, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
These hardships, however, only strengthened her resolve.
During the pandemic, she dedicated herself to guaranteeing the soup kitchen’s continuity, motivating businesses in the neighbourhood to recognise the need and donate to the cause.
“I prayed to the Heavenly Father to clear the way for my soup kitchen, and He did,” a grateful Mungunda said.
She is also supported in her mission by her brother-in-law, Isack Kooper; her cousin, Josephine Huisemas, as well as the mother of one of the children, who preferred to remain anonymous.
These volunteers dedicate their time, motivated by their shared commitment to making a positive impact.
Huisemas (57) joined the soup kitchen in 2022 out of a deep sense of responsibility and compassion.
“When I saw what Anna was doing for the children, I knew I had to come and help as much as I could,” she explained while encouraging the community to support Mungunda.
Kooper (59) tends to the open fire outside the house, and assists wherever needed.
“Even though my role may seem small, every effort counts,” he said.
In addition to providing meals, Mungunda extends her care by donating clothes and toiletries to the children and their parents.
She once visited the home of one of the beneficiaries of the soup kitchen, where she met the child’s grandmother.
“When I asked her where the parents (of the child) were, she said they might be at the shebeens. I realised the immense challenges these families, especially the children, face,” she added.
She said some of the children are unable to maintain proper hygiene because of a lack of basic necessities like soap.
In other cases, the elderly who look after the children are unable to help them take a bath because of limited mobility.
Mungunda also revealed she once considered closing the soup kitchen, as the number of children exceeded her capacity.
However, she finds it difficult to turn away hungry children, and ensures everyone gets at least some food.
“If I close the soup kitchen, where will these children go? Even though it’s difficult to get donations, I will keep pushing because this is for the children,” she said.
She also hosts Christmas parties in December while imparting life lessons and the value of obedience, responsibility and prayer to the children.
“I’ve gotten to know the kids better – thanks to the soup kitchen. I’m thrilled when I see them smile,” she said.
With her eye on the future, Mungunda advised those who want to launch similar projects to get in touch with local companies for funding and help.
Her goal remains to continue helping the children in her community one meal at a time.
-Nampa
(Mariental)