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MISA comment - MISA is fighting child hunger

Aug 04, 2025 MISA, Motor Industry Staff Association, Martle Keyter, Fight Child Hunger Challenge


MISA comment - MISA is fighting child hunger

 

MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association, fed more than 400 children at Fred and Martie’s Soup Kitchen in Claremont, Johannesburg, as part of the Union’s social responsibility outreach in 2025 to fight child hunger. Words will never be enough to express our gratitude. The kids loved it,” says Yolandie Oberholzer who runs the Soup Kitchen. Her late mother, Martie, was its founder.

 

Martlé Keyter, MISA’s Chief Executive Officer: Operations, says MISA wants to be the change we want to see in the world. “Not all our members have the means to make a difference or to help someone else, but as a collective the Union has a social responsibility, representing more than 72 000 members in all our projects. MISA is setting the trend for modern trade unions in South Africa,” says Keyter.

 

Senior State Advocate Salome Scheepers, National Coordinator of Domestic Violence at the Sexual Offences and Community Affairs Unit (SOCA) of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), joined MISA to hand out decorated tins with dolls to each child. “It was a very humbling experience.” Neal van den Berg, Property Practitioner of Global Estates Platinum, spoiled the children with face-painting.

 

Keyter launched the Union’s Fight Child Hunger Challenge in May, asking all our members, staff, tenants and stakeholders to start collecting the following items:

 

•             Tinned food (pilchards for example);

•             Peanut butter;

•             Fortified Maize;

•             White Rice;

•             Soya Mince;

•             Speckled beans;

•             Soup Mix.

 

These items are considered “best buys” for households because they are high in protein and micronutrients and have a long shelf life.

 

MISA will be hosting its annual Women’s Breakfasts in Cape Town, East London, Gqeberha, Bloemfontein, Durban and Johannesburg over the next two weeks where more handovers to non-profit organisations will take place. 

 

A 2024 Unicef report found that 23% of South African children experience severe food poverty, eating less than two of the recommended five food groups per day. Unemployment, food insecurity, limited access to basic services and a lack of knowledge about nutrition all contributes to this.

For more information contact  Sonja.Carstens@ms.org.za.

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