Ukutya ne Khaya
Food (in)security is a persistent and systemic challenge in South Africa, particularly in township and rural communities. Hunger is not merely a lack of food; it is a form of slow violence, rooted in historical dispossession, inequitable land distribution, and global economic systems that prioritise profit over people.
The Warehouse Trust’s Ukutya neKhaya (Food & Home) Project responds to this crisis by fostering justice-based, community-led food systems. Through partnerships with local churches, the project aims to restore the link between home, community, and food, empowering communities to produce, share, and steward their own nutrition sustainably.
The project integrates faith, food security, and social justice, demonstrating that nourishing bodies and hearts is inseparable from embodying God’s vision for creation.
Key Theological Underpinnings
Important Statistics
Hunger persists in South Africa despite the government’s commitment to food security and the existence of numerous policies and programmes across several ministries. South Africa’s Constitution commits the state, as duty-bearer, to ensure that everyone has access to sufficient food (section 27), and that every child has basic nutrition, but despite this, 11,000 children die from hunger and malnutrition every year. Prof Stephen Devereux (Institute of Social Development, UWC)
Grassroot Stories from Churches
“I was so happy when I came out of meetings or conferences run by The Warehouse,” says Pastor Malungisa Funda of Living Waters Community Church in Khayelitsha, “It was a relief to hear from others who are thinking what I am thinking, others who seek to interpret scripture within the context, impacting the daily lives of people in our community.”
Pastor Funda encountered The Warehouse around eight years ago when someone mentioned Nkosivumile Gola who was working at The Warehouse at the time. “Nkosi explained more about The Warehouse and what it does in partnership with churches and communities, and from there, they organised seedlings, compost and materials to get us going,” he says.
But it is much bigger than the food gardens – those are ongoing symbols of the church’s place and role in the community.
“My relationship with The Warehouse really helped me in my understanding of being a church leader in the world, and it became clear to me that the Church cannot simply exist within these four walls,” says Pastor Funda. And it helped shape their ministry and the NPO over the years – the Emmanuel Centre for Community Empowerment.
Support Ukutya ne Khaya Today
To help churches build community-led food gardens and to strengthen local food security in places where hunger is a daily reality. This work restores dignity, empowers families, and equips churches to serve their communities in practical, justice-focused ways.