Meet the security guard protecting Cape Town’s children from hunger

One morning, two school children were passing by Moosa Ismail’s workplace in Lansdowne, Cape Town when he noticed the worry etched across their faces. He stopped them in their tracks to figure out what was troubling them. "I asked what the issue was and they told me that they went to sleep without eating anything," Ismail says. He bought the kids snacks to eat at school, and set about cooking up a solution for others in similar circumstances. Ignited by this encounter, the security guard turned his workstation at a cold storage facility into a kitchen. "Every morning before I start working, I prepare sandwiches for children to eat on their way to school," Ismail says. While his job is to prevent crimes, he is now guarding his community by securing the wellbeing of children.

Recognising the prevalence of hunger in his neighbourhood, Ismail is curbing this struggle despite his meagre income. "I don't have much myself, but even if it is my last, I would give it to them," he says. "I know what it feels like to have nothing." Fondly known as ‘Samoosa’, a compliment to the style and taste of the sandwiches he makes, Ismail's main concern is learners who go to school on an empty stomach. "It's hard to concentrate in class when you are concerned about your next meal," he says. His passion is ensuring kids are able to focus and succeed in their pursuit of education. Even on his day off, Ismail can be found dicing and mixing up his special recipe. "I'm humbled when parents thank me for looking out for their kids, but that feeling of doing it makes me feel like a millionaire," he says.

Currently, Ismail serves over 40 children and makes ends meet by using donations and dipping into his own pockets. “It does not matter how big or small your efforts are, as long as you help where you can,'' he says. Fostering a culture of giving, Ismail is investing in the future leaders and custodians of his neighbourhood. "The power of a community is realised when we come together to support our children," he says.