Where It All Began
August 17, 2020. The world was navigating unprecedented uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic, but in Pretoria, South Africa, a group of students saw opportunity where others saw only crisis.
Like many students, they received allowances from their parents—money typically spent on meals out, entertainment, and the everyday luxuries of student life. But with restaurants closed and social activities limited, these socially-conscious young people found themselves with excess funds and a burning question: What if we used this differently?
The answer came when they looked around their own Sunnyside community. Single mothers, many of whom had built livelihoods in the hairstyling industry, were struggling. With salons closed and clients staying home, these resilient women faced an impossible choice between feeding their families and keeping their businesses alive.
Inspired by the work of Grace Beyond Borders, the students didn’t just talk about making a difference—they did it. The FA Charity Organisation (FACO) was born, registered as a non-profit company with a simple but powerful mission: to help families eat, so they could focus on building better futures.
What We’ve Accomplished
Since that first month in 2020, FACO has provided food parcels to an average of 15 families every single month. But our impact extends far beyond those consistent monthly deliveries.
Our projects have touched lives across Gauteng:
- Donated over 25 pairs of school shoes to a primary school in Olifantsfontein, ensuring children could walk to class with dignity
- Partnered with a doctor in Tembisa to distribute more than 50 boxes of supplements during flu season
- Rescued an entrepreneur who had her market stock confiscated, lost her home, and needed immediate support—we provided food and one month’s rent to help her restart
- Supported students during exam season with food parcels, because no one should study on an empty stomach
- Collaborated with Future Families and Beautiful Rubies to empower 50 women in the Congolese diaspora with food parcels, entrepreneurial training, and feminine product parcels
- Partnered with the Precious K Foundation for a Christmas project, delivering 15 food parcels, preloved clothing, and restaurant vouchers so families could celebrate the season with joy
Why Food Matters
Our mission is straightforward: uplift underprivileged communities by addressing food insecurity, one family at a time.
Research, including the study “The Impact of a School Feeding Programme on Academic Performance” by Dhansay and Faber (2018), shows that proper nutrition directly impacts a child’s ability to learn and succeed. We believe that when families don’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from, they can redirect their energy and limited resources toward income-generating activities, education, and building sustainable futures.
We serve child-headed households, widows, single-parent families, households supported by temporary or informal employment, and families impacted by job loss. Our goal is to alleviate the burden of food insecurity for 1 to 3 months each year—giving families breathing room to stabilize and move forward.
We also support what we call “sojourners”—drawing from Psalm 119:19 and the biblical understanding that we are all temporary residents on this earth. Just as scripture reminds us in Hebrews 11:13 and 1 Peter 2:11, we recognize that everyone deserves compassion, support, and a chance to thrive, regardless of where they come from.
Our Vision for Tomorrow
FACO is growing, and our vision is expanding beyond food parcels.
We’re building something bigger:
As a registered non-profit company, we want to operate like a business that exists to develop people. We envision a training ground where students gain work-ready skills that make them competitive in the job market after graduation. For our professional volunteers, FACO will be a place to upskill, lead teams, manage departments, and become better employees and leaders in their primary careers.
We will continue providing food parcels and responding to community needs, while partnering with NGOs and corporates on projects that create lasting empowerment across different communities.
Our mission remains clear: Address hunger among communities in Gauteng by supplying food parcels while upholding dignity, equality, and compassion. We enable communities to flourish by providing resources, education, and support for self-sustainability and cultural integration.
Our vision is bold: Build a future of independence, opportunity, and prosperity for all who are part of our local family. We will invest in the next generation, equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and mindset to become self-reliant leaders, innovators, and change-makers. Through community-driven initiatives, we will foster unity, pride, and shared purpose, ensuring an enduring legacy.
We envision a world where every individual has access to the resources they need to live a dignified and fulfilling life.
Join Our Story
What started with students redirecting their dining-out money has become a movement of compassion, one food parcel at a time. This is the power of asking, “What if?” and then acting on the answer.
The FA Charity Organisation is proof that you don’t need millions to make a difference. You just need to see a need, care enough to respond, and take that first step.
Our story isn’t finished, it is just beginning. And we’d love for you to be part of what comes next.
FA Charity Organisation is a registered non-profit company committed to addressing food insecurity and empowering communities across Gauteng, South Africa.