African Child at Work NPO Tackles Hunger while Creating a Safe Space for Children to Connect, Share, and Grow in Orlando East, Soweto

Thabo Motlhabi

The sound of laughter and excitement filled Khuzwayo Street, Orlando East, Soweto. On Friday, 15 September 2026, the community gathered for a simple but meaningful meal of sandwiches and a sip of juice. The children gathered for a simple yet meaningful meal of sandwiches and a sip of juice.

The weekly “Sandwiches and a sip of juice” initiative hosted by African Child at Work NPO is providing much-needed food to children while bringing the community together in the fight against hunger and poverty.

Each child receives four slices of bread and a sip of juice. What started as a small community initiative has steadily grown, attracting an increasing number of children every week.

Because of the growing demand, the organization currently limits the number of children served to 100 every Friday.

As a Founder African Child at Work NPO, Mr. Thabiso Masigo emphasized that growing turnout is both encouraging and a reminder of the scale of the need in the community:

“The attraction is undeniable. Children arrive in numbers so great that we now limit to 100 servings per Friday. It’s a bittersweet reality: joy in the turnout, but a reminder that more hands and hearts are needed to meet the demands. We are already stretching the next page of this story, finding more sponsors, expanding our reach, and ensuring that no child is turned away, because every sandwich and every sip of juice is more than food.

The initiative is supposed by the community stakeholders that are contributing to efforts aimed at addressing hunger and poverty in Orlando East, Soweto.

* Sello You Kasi Tuck Shop

For the children, however, the program is about more than simply receiving food. It’s also an opportunity to make friends, learn, work together, and enjoy time with other children in safe and positive environments.