More than 40,000 people live in the township of Kayamandi – all of them poor. But the area that I have targeted to help suffers in a state of extreme poverty. Many of the parents cannot afford to feed their children, who sleep on dirt floors, wear the same clothes every day, and often can’t afford the uniform required to attend school. These men, women and children are in desperate need of assistance, and they are simply not getting it from their government.

Our immediate goal is to improve the quality of life for the Kayamandi people and to make an impact right now, that will be felt for generations to come. We will accomplish this through a sweeping food program with an aim to feed as many children as possible while employing single women to cook meals.

Additionally, we will strive to put every child that wants to attend school in a uniform to make it possible. Teaching English to youngsters through sports and art programs will also be made available. Many students do not graduate from high school because their exams are in English, which they often fail to learn in school. It is our strong belief that the only way a poverty stricken country can climb out of its hole is through a commitment to education.

One of our long term goals is to make these improvements permanent and self-sustaining. This would include buying a piece of land and teaching the people of Kayamandi to farm the land, giving them a job, providing them a place to live, and food to eat. Another long-term goal is to open a food co-op, which would keep funds within the community, help put money back into the program, and create more jobs.