Soup service with a smile

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A Mossel Bay woman has taken the bull by the horns and is "being the change" she wants to see in the world.

The feeding scheme she started has already impacted hundreds of lives.

Christeline James tells our readers how it's done.

Please explain your soup project?
It is soup in a bag which requires the recipient simply to put the contents in a pot with about two litres of water. When cooked it will feed a family of four.

How did you arrive at this idea?
The idea was born when my mom mentioned some people needing assistance in the form of soup packets. After our initial sponsorship of 20 packets, I told her I would ask my friends and family to help us donate some more.

Are there more people helping you with the project?
After reaching out to my friends and family for help, I received some generous donations which assisted me to make over 100 more soup packets, of which most went to the community of Ruiterbos.

Have you helped those in need in the past?
I have always jumped on board when there was an opportunity to help others in need. This year, for my birthday, I collected sanitary pads from friends instead of receiving gifts because I recognised the need in our community.

What is in your soup packet?
Each of the soup packets contains:

1/2 cup of split peas

1/2 cup of rice

1/2 cup of red lentils

1/2 cup of soup mix

1 beef stock cube

1 packet of dry soup

This, together with water, makes a hearty pot of soup.

What are your goals in terms of the soup project or assisting those in need?
The immediate goal is to start a soup kitchen with my employer - Prepaid24 - and colleagues, which will run daily in different areas in and around Mossel Bay. We want to feed as many people as often as possible.

What type of support from others would you like to have?
It would be great to receive some sponsorships in the form of ingredients or funding to keep the project going. Together, we can reach so many people and bless them with a meal we often take for granted. We are just SOME people who are doing what we can, So Others May Eat.

If you are able to help, contact Christeline at chrissypj07@gmail.com.

Christeline James