DRIVEN BY A PASSION TO SERVE
Francis Bacon said: “Charity begins at home, but should not end there.”
Shafiek Barendse, SANZAF Western Cape general manager, knows this too well.
FOR more than 48 years, the South African National Zakáh Fund (SANZAF) has been a source of hope to those in need. The organisation works in a proactive way in sectors such as welfare and development, education, emergency relief, food aid and shelter to the needy. SANZAF is a faith-based, socio-welfare and educational organisation that strives to facilitate the empowerment of needy families through the efficient collection and effective distribution of Zakáh and other Sadaqát in a proactive and cost-effective way. It does this through a variety of projects – with dignity, sincerity and a shared responsibility – all in the service of the community and for the pleasure of Allah (PBOH). One of the longest serving Zakah organisations in the country, with more than 35 offices around South Africa, SANZAF’s commitment to serving humanity is stronger than ever.
Cape Times caught up with Shafiek Barendse to chat about SANZAF and his passion for helping those in need.
Where does your love for helping the needy come from?
My mother. She ran a feeding scheme from our house, and she was always feeding people in our community, on a daily basis. Seeing a smile from a young child’s face, or even from an elderly person, it’s something that can not have a monetary value put on it. The spirit of giving extends beyond giving food and clothes; some people want a chair or someone who can listen to them. We must remember that we are all going through the most difficult times, especially during the Covid pandemic. Many people lost their businesses, lost their jobs and lost loved ones.
How did SANZAF come about?
SANZAF is a welfare organisation started in 1974 by a group of concerned men. A few guys came together from Cape Town and Johannesburg, where they collected tinned food on weekends, packed those tins, and packaged them into a parcel on Monday to be distributed throughout the week for whoever was in need. The organisation started from humble beginnings, where people used to go from house-to-house on a bicycle collecting what they could to assist. The first collection that was made amounted to about R350. Today, the organisation receives millions – and we can do much more with it. SANZAF stretches across the entire country – we have offices in Gauteng, Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Kimberley. Our head office is in the Western Cape, and we service areas from the West Coast to the
Garden Route and into the Boland.
What makes SANZAF unique as a charity organisation? SANZAF is busy 365 days a year – it is not something that we do half-day or even seasonally. Our offices are open five or six days a week. People can come to our offices for a hot meal every day. We do not turn anyone away. Any person can get assistance from us, especially when it comes to food assistance. During the Covid pandemic, we were one of the few organisations that was permitted by the City of Cape Town to be available and work.
We have also partnered with the Department of Social Development to distribute hampers throughout the Western Cape and even nationally.
For example, last year, when there was a fire disaster at Masiphumelele in Hout Bay, we distributed more than 800 baby packs over the month that we were assisting there.
As an organisation, we are entrenched within the community, and our assistance comes in the form of food or financial, and we also do vocational training. We also have a youth programme called My Programme that assists a school with students who are struggling with a certain subject. On the day of Eid this year, we intend doing 28 000 hampers, with the help of 145 institutions. This operation will take place over five days and is expected to be the biggest of its kind in the country.
What words of advice do you have for other people starting their own charity organisations?
Doing this kind of work is selfless – do not think about being rich; do not think about the money. The important thing is, if it is your passion and it’s something that you would like to do, and you love seeing people happy and smiling, then step into the ring. Just know that it will take up most of your time, but you need to strike a balance. Start with something small, just like my mother did, when she would feed 50 people from one pot of food. Also know that you cannot help everyone, save who can save, but most importantly make yourself strong first. Many times we are focused on other people and we forget about ourselves.
What’s the most rewarding and exciting project you’ve worked on?
There are so many projects, I don’t know where to start. As part of our winter projects, we have an Adopt-A-Granny programme. We adopt 50 grannies, and they are given a R1 000 voucher to splurge on themselves – and not on anyone else. Our grannies get pampered – we have someone come in and do their nails and faces. At the end of the day they get a food parcel, blankets and a vitamin pack to boost their immune system. Another programme is a vocational programme where we are partnered with a certain institution to train unemployed young people through a short course – and once they have completed the course, they are guaranteed a job.
Another one is when people come to our offices and ask for food or just to talk. There is an old lady who comes to my office to tell me the same story, everyday. I know the story already, but because there is no one at home willing to listen, she needs someone to listen to her. She tells me her story, then she leaves again. For me, that is so rewarding; it is something I look forward to each day.
Any parting words to encourage those who will be observing the month of Ramadan?
After two years of uncertainty, we have witnessed so many lives and livelihood losts. This time around, SANZAF is busy with a campaign to hold fast and call for belief. We need to believe in the Mercy of the Almighty, because He is the most Merciful.
We also need to believe the Almighty that He promises with each difficulty, ease will definitely come. We need to believe that the ability for change is there. We need to believe that tomorrow will be better; and we need to encourage and motivate each other and lead to a change of mindset in order to chart the cause for a better tomorrow.