Shaped by her mother’s selflessness and kindness, Rochelle de Klerk has become a beacon of hope in her community.
She channelled that legacy into action by founding her own nonprofit organisation (NPO), Lilly of the Valley, which now feeds about 200 people, mostly vulnerable children from the Parkside Second Creek community.
De Klerk officially launched Lilly of the Valley in 2017, with the aim of helping the most vulnerable in her community.
“I struggled so much to keep it going due to sponsors, then Covid(-19) hit and everything fell through the carpet.
“It was my daughter who asked me to revive the soup kitchen due to children and elders going hungry in our community,” she said.
She provides for 200 people from her own home, with the help of a dedicated team of four volunteers who help her prepare the daily meals.
Together, they peel vegetables, slice bread, and serve food to community members in need.
“I do have a few weekly donors who provide bones for the soup, and now and then, others offer help when they can.
“But there are many times when I have to dig into my own pocket just to make sure the pot is full and no-one is turned away,” she said.
It’s a humble setting, but filled with purpose and teamwork.
Despite limited space and resources, the group works tirelessly to ensure no-one goes hungry, especially the children who rely on these meals as their main source of nourishment.
Their shared effort reflects the heart of community service — doing what you can, with what you have, to make a real difference.
De Klerk believes that sport helped shape her character, teaching her how to lead, how to persevere, and how to work with others towards a shared goal.
Today, she applies those same values and energy to her work in the community, proving that the qualities learnt on the field can make just as much of an impact off of it.
Whether through sport or service, she is driven by a deep desire to uplift others and create positive change.
Olivia Promp, 51, said she and her family had relied on the soup kitchen since it first opened in 2017.
“My whole family goes there every Thursday because both my husband and I are unemployed, and we rely on our children’s social grants,” she said.
She said De Klerk was always kind and willing to help.
When she received donations, De Klerk also provides food parcels to people in the community.
Dawoon Alkeldien said she nominated De Klerk for the Daily Dispatch Local Heroes Awards because of her compassion and determination to help her community.
Growing up in Parkside, East London, she said De Klerk had watched her mother help anyone in need, always willing to share whatever they had — even when it wasn’t much.
“This caring attitude taught Rochelle the value of compassion and shaped her into the community-focused person she is today.
“Her mother’s example continues to guide her work in helping and feeding vulnerable people,” she said.
De Klerk’s resilience and dedication was also evident in her sporting success.
She proudly represented the Border region in hockey on two occasions, showing skill, determination, and a love for teamwork.
In 1996, she joined the Border soccer team and stood out by becoming the tournament’s top goal scorer and winning the title of best player of the tournament.
Daily Dispatch