Hanover Park in Cape Town has been plagued by gangsterism, drugs and unemployment for a long time - and now the community is facing a hunger crisis since the lockdown started.

But the NPO Moms Who Care has put a smile on the faces of hundreds of children and vulnerable people in the Cape Flats.

The group has been feeding up to 800 residents since the lockdown started, mostly out of their own pockets.

Adeebah Sha, one of the founders of the organisation, said many her colleagues were born in Hanover Park. She lamented the circumstances in the community.

“The community is very poor. There is a huge drug problem and addiction - the number of children in this community will shock you, it is mind-boggling. The unemployment rate is extremely high. Gangsterism is making things even worse,” she said.

The group delivers hot meals in takeaway containers to the majority of council flats in the area. SowetanLIVE's sister publication TimesLIVE witnessed hundreds of children, filled with hope, standing in long queues to get their share this week.

“We feed up to 800 people per day - 90% are children,” said Sha. “We have been doing this every day since the lockdown started. We are not funded - it’s basically communities that are able to give a little bit to the needy. We collaborated with the Caledonian Roses [rugby club]. We are 10 in total.”