Christel House South Africa launches urgent appeal to feed 1,000 families through its 'Buckets of Hope' campaign
Christel House South Africa launches urgent appeal to feed 1,000 families through its 'Buckets of Hope' campaign
Christel House SA’s entire Grade 8 class of 2025 receiving their Buckets of Hope last year. The school is building a new High School on its Ottery campus, set to open in April 2026. Incoming Grade 8 students from other primary schools will also receive Buckets of Hope
Image supplied by the publicist
Christel House South Africa has issued an urgent call for support to help feed 1,000 families this December. With only three weeks left before schools close, the non-profit, no-fee school must still raise R250 000 to ensure every student can take home a Bucket of Hope filled with essential groceries for the holidays.
Each R350 donation provides a family with a Bucket of Hope containing nutritious staples, including maize, pasta, soya mince, samp and beans and more.
Christel House SA serves children from some of Cape Town’s most under-resourced communities and provides daily nutritious meals throughout the school year. When the school closes for the December holidays, families experience a sharp rise in food insecurity, often unsure of where their next meal will come from. During this time, a Bucket of Hope becomes a vital source of stability, offering immediate relief and ensuring children have nourishing food at a moment when they need it most.
Thanks to compassionate donors, more than R100 000 has already been raised, one-third of the total goal. However, an additional R250 000 is urgently needed to reach all 1,000 families before the December break.
Supporters are encouraged to amplify their impact by rallying friends, colleagues or corporate teams. Sponsoring a full class of 30 students costs R10 500 and ensures every child returns home with a bucket in hand, knowing their family will have food for the weeks ahead.
“Our Buckets of Hope, filled with essential non-perishables, help keep our students nourished and stabilise households during a very vulnerable time. Working closely with our families, we see every day just how critical this support is — and we cannot meet the need alone,”
says Lara Black, Development & Partnerships Director at Christel House South Africa.
“As the festive season approaches, we urge corporates to rethink traditional year-end gifts and sponsor a Bucket of Hope instead. Each donation can be personalised, turning a simple gesture into one of genuine meaning and impact,”
says Lara Black.
Every contribution counts. Section 18A tax certificates are available upon request for donors.
To make a donation, email donate@sa.christelhouse.org with the subject line “Bucket of Hope”, and Christel House South Africa’s Development and Partnerships Director, Lara Black will work with you to create a personalised and branded message to the family receiving the support.
Alternatively, visit www.sa.christelhouse.org/donate and reference ‘hope’, your initials and surname.
Mayizole, a Grade 7 student at Christel House SA who aspires to become an engineer, carrying his Bucket of Hope
Image supplied by the publicist
More about Christel House
Christel House South Africa is a non-profit school with a single mission: A world where poverty does not limit potential. It offers no-fee scholarships to students from 29 of Cape Town’s severely under-served communities and supports them for 19 years (Grade RR to Grade 12 and five years post-matric) through character-based and career-focused education.
The school’s beneficiaries include 906+ students from grades RR to 12, 250+ post-matric students, and more than 3000 parents and other members of the communities it serves.
The main criterion for admission to Christel House is not evidence of talent but of poverty, a measure of which is a maximum average income of R1,500 per household member per month.
Key aspects of Christel House’s model include poverty mitigation services such as daily transport to school and back, professional health care, nutritious meals, psychosocial counselling, family assistance, and college and career planning and support.
Throughout their schooling and beyond, learners receive consistent support through various projects and programmes, including career guidance, vocational preparation, character development, and post-matric alumni support. This extends to tertiary education, job placements, graduate mentoring, career workshops, and financial support, forming a network of impact that extends to families and communities.
For more information visit our website https://sa.christelhouse.org/ and follow us on social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
