Food
Nearly two-thirds of South African households are food insecure, of which 17% are critically under-nourished*
*National Food and Nutrition Security Survey, 2024
The distribution of food parcels has been at the heart of
Arm in Arm’s services since our beginning in 2000.
Arm in Arm's Food program helps fulfill the food stability challenges across 3 townships (Gugulethu, Malungeni, and Tipini). Residents determine which households are most in need of food support and will receive a parcel.
Contents are purchased directly by Arm in Arm from local retailers to help support the economy.
AIAIA leaders oversee the actual distribution of parcels to ensure they reach the intended household
Parcels contain essential ingredients to prepare traditional family meals: cooking oil, flour, sugar, rice, beans, samp (a local grain), and frozen chicken.
One parcel will help feed a household for 6-8 weeks
Parcels are purchased entirely by contributions from Arm in Arm donors and no recipient pays any fee
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Gugulethu
The Arm In Arm In Africa delegation has been traveling annually to the townships near Cape Town, South Africa since 2000, partnering with the JL Zwane Center, a Presbyterian Community in the Gugulethu, population 360,000.
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Malungeni
Malungeni, a rural area in the Eastern Cape of South Africa is challenged with limited employment opportunities, inadequate transportation and education. The resulting poverty makes it difficult for people to adequately feed their families.
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Tipini
The informal settlement of Tipini is a community that faces major challenges on a daily basis. The men, women, and children of Itipini reside in extremely sub-standard housing, located in an environment that provides little, to no human services.
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Pathway To Self-Reliance
As Arm in Arm begins its second quarter-century of programming, our partners and we agree that the self-reliance of our beneficiaries is more important than ever, given growing need and world conditions. Our partnership with INMED, a leading South African humanitarian organization, is providing funding and infrastructure necessary for local residents to grow a portion of their own food requirements. As you'll see in accompanying stories about our saffron test crop in Nieu-Bethesda and community gardens in Malungeni, there's a optimism and spirit behind these self-sufficiency programs. We'll continue to supply food parcels to the neediest households in our legacy townships in and around Gugulethu and Malungeni. But we are designing for a future when our food production programs can reduce the dependency on food parcels and allocate those funds --and more -- into additional food production, education, and healthcare programs. This is a joint strategy developed with our partners in South Africa, Collectively, we share a vision for a brighter future with residents living independently of government subsidies, with access to food, healthcare and education, and able to fulfill their life dreams.
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Nieu-Bethesda Saffron
Nestled in the heart of the Eastern Cape’s Karoo region, the small town of Nieu-Bethesda is known for its rich cultural heritage, scenic landscapes, and tight-knit community.
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Malungeni Gardens
Arm in Arm has been partnering with the community of Malungeni for more than 20 years. This Easter Cape township incorporates 3 communities with a combined population of around 2,000.
Additional Food Programs
In addition to food parcels in townships, Arm in Arm supports two partner organizations with food funding:
St. Luke Hospice, located in Khayelitsha near Cape Town, provides comprehensive end-of-life support to the dying and their families. AIAIA funds enable St. Luke's home visits to include meals specially designed for the dietary needs of the household.
AIAIA has had a long-term relationship with Tender Loving Care Orphanage in the township of Barcelona. Our funds support the feeding of 40 children cared for at the orphanage.
