The Paarl Muslim Youth Movement in conjunction with RIWA and Paarl Muslim Jamaa’ hosted a mass ‘Street Boeka’ in Play Street (Behind Ebenhezer Primary School). The inititative was open to anybody who wanted to experience a ‘Street Boeka’
“Boeka” (a Cape Muslim Afrikaans word for breaking one’s fast at sunset during Ramadan) is synonymously celebrated in the Cape with the sharing and exchange of boeka plates with neighbours, family and friends. This is a food dish your family has prepared and shares.
On arriving there, the street was cordoned of with many people sitting in the street enjoying a meal with family and friends. The event was open to everyone and food and drinks were sponsored and donated by the local community.
This was a first for Paarl and definitely huge success with possibly more than 500 people who came out to break their fast.
I chatted to Waghied Hendricks and Osama Cassiem to tell us more about the initiative. Throughout the year these organisations make up to 100 pots of food per week and distribute it in the Paarl and Wellington community. Waghied explained that they feed up to 500 people per day.
Local organisations like these illustrate what is possible when a community joins hands!
To see more about the first mass ‘Street Boeka’, here is the link:
