Life for Deborah Wood, 70, is a journey of giving

Every Wednesday afternoon in Vergenoeg, the sound of pots clattering marks the start of a weekly ritual which has become a lifeline for hundreds.

At the heart of it is 70-year-old Deborah Wood, who runs a soup kitchen which feeds more than 200 people from her home.

Wood, the founder of the nonprofit organisation Deborah Ncedabantu, started the initiative in 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when many households were plunged into crisis.

But the roots of her work stretch further back.

“For years people knocked on my door asking for food,” she said.

“I felt great sadness when people, especially children, came asking.

“That was when I realised I needed to do something about the poverty and drug abuse in the community.”

Working from her modest kitchen, Wood is joined each week by a handful of volunteers who prepare meals for everyone from babies as young as six months to elderly residents.

Though Wednesdays are the main service days, people arrive throughout the week seeking help.

Beyond meals, Wood provides clothing, spiritual counselling and support for young people trying to overcome addiction.

“That I can wake up and know I have helped those who cannot help themselves keeps me going,” she said.

“I am grateful for the volunteers who give their time freely, and the sponsors who support my vision, even though resources are stretched thin.

“We don’t have enough sponsors, and the need is huge, so I often use money from my pension and get help from family and friends to buy essentials, because most people here have nothing to eat.”

Wood’s determination is shaped by her years of missionary work in East London’s prisons, and she says she intends to continue “for as long as I am able”.

Among her regular helpers is Marrian Reed, who joined in 2021.

“What inspired me was my love for people,” she said.

“It breaks my heart when people have nothing to eat.

“For me, the most important part is not only feeding them but also sharing the word of God.

“I believe you must first give them something to eat, and then they will listen and respond.”

Reed said more sponsors were urgently needed.

“Debbie is doing this out of her own pocket, and we would love to attract more support.

“These people are in need, and we can’t send them away with nothing.

“We really pray that God will come through for us and help.”

For those who come to eat, the impact is clear.

Raneil Pretorius, 29, who is on a rehabilitation journey after years of drug use, credits Wood with playing a central role in his recovery.

“I have been using drugs since I was 17, and I never had someone who still treated me like a human being like Aunty Debbie does,” he said.

“She has been patient with me and treats me like her own son.

“She gives us hope and provides for us so we don’t have to resort to crime to survive.”

He said he dreamt of one day being able to build a decent life and provide for his family.

Others, like 27-year-old Shaune Gillgower from East Bank, say the weekly meals have been a vital support.

“The soup kitchen has really helped us a lot,” she said.

Twenty-two-year-old mother Shaakirah Bates said the meals were sometimes her family’s only supper.

“We are never turned away,” she said.

“The kindness shown has inspired me to one day give back to others.”

For Gail Swaartbooi, who nominated Wood for the Daily Dispatch Local Hero Awards, her work speaks for itself.

“She cooks and gives food, clothes and even helps young people struggling with drugs in Vergenoeg and Scenery Park,” she said.

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