Courage was established in March 2020 in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the humanitarian crisis that has resulted. It was born out of the belief that in order to triumph we need to stand together as one, which is reflected in its mission “to inspire all people to have the courage to stand as one and create a safer, more resilient, equitable society”. Courage’s focus is on pooling people, funding and resources to address the most dire needs of affected communities in the most cost-effective and impactful way. The team (all volunteers) has inspired and brought the community together (including other NGOs) to work in solidarity, ensuring every one of the 60,000 Hout Bay residents in need has food on their table during this health and economic crisis.
As the months roll by, with the effects of the pandemic ever increasing, the number of people living with food insecurity continues to rise across Hout Bay’s communities. The Scheinberg Relief Fund is supporting Courage’s ‘Grow Hout Bay’ initiative, one of a number of initiatives Courage has launched to transition from its focus on emergency food relief to sustainable ways to address underlying societal issues. The Scheinberg Relief Fund has provided the seed funding for this ambitious social enterprise which will over a 24 month period establish 96 organic growing gardens which will provide 1.4 free million nutritious vegetable rich meals per year to children and the elderly across Hout Bay’s townships. ‘Grow Hout Bay’ should achieve self-sufficiency within 24 months.