Willemina “Mina” Solomons, a 40-year-old woman from Smutsville in Sedgefield along the Garden Route, is the heart behind a powerful story of compassion, community, and resilience. What began as a single act of kindness on Easter Sunday 2024 has since grown into a heartfelt movement that now feeds about 500 children every Saturday, thanks to Mina’s unwavering dedication and the support of her community.
Willemina, known lovingly by everyone as “Mina,” is more than a housekeeper. She’s a mother of three, a trained cook, and a woman with a heart big enough to feed a village, literally. After losing her job in a local restaurant during COVID-19, Mina turned to cleaning to support her family. That’s how she met Shulka (31) and Keshav Mohabir (34), a couple who had moved to Sedgefield and were building their SME development firm, Curious Cat Creative.
Pictured above: Willemina “Mina” Solomons and the ladies of Mina’s Kitchen
“We hired Mina as our housekeeper, but it was clear from day one that she was so much more,” Shulka recalls. “One day, I asked her what she really loved doing, and without missing a beat she said that she loved cooking for people. That’s her spark.”
Recognizing her talent and passion, Shulka and Keshav asked Mina to start preparing meals for them during the week. It wasn’t long before an idea began to take shape. Wanting to give back to their community, the trio decided to sponsor a meal for 100 children in Smutsville. On Easter Sunday 2024, Mina rallied a small team of local women and served up braai chicken, potato salad, savoury rice, and malva pudding. The impact was immediate and profound.
“The kids were over the moon,” says Keshav. “But it wasn’t just them. The women who helped cook felt something too, that they were doing something meaningful. That day changed everything.”
Now, every Saturday, Mina leads a team of 6 to 10 women—many of whom are family and friends with little to no stable income—to cook for 500 children in the community. The initiative, dubbed Mina’s Kitchen, has become a cornerstone of Smutsville, bringing food, hope, and dignity to those who need it most.
Pictured above: The ladies of Mina’s Kitchen handing out food to the children
A Family Effort Rooted in Community
Mina’s team is a beautiful blend of generations. Her mother often helps in the kitchen, while two older aunties entertain the children with stories and laughter as they wait for their meals. Mina’s cousins and friends assist with prepping and cooking, often working through the night. Each woman earns R500 per feeding, a fair wage that many say has been life-changing.
“Some of these ladies were only managing one day of cleaning work a week,” explains Shulka. “This has not only given them income but a sense of pride and belonging. It’s amazing to witness.”
What’s even more heartening is how the children have responded. Initially shy and uncertain, many would take their food and run. But as Mina and her team continued showing up, rain or shine, the kids began to smile, to linger, to trust.
“They now see us as part of their Saturday,” says Mina. “They know we’ll be there. That consistency means everything.”
Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YZdwunJ1j5E
Planting Seeds of Change
The ripple effects of Mina’s Kitchen are already being felt. Some older children have started picking up litter around the streets while waiting for their meals, an initiative that grew naturally from their desire to give back. The feeding scheme has inspired conversations around community care, job creation, and the importance of dignity in service.
Though support from local businesses is still limited, Greefs Butchery has stepped up as a consistent partner, supplying meat at discounted prices to stretch the budget. Mina’s Kitchen is currently in the process of registering as a nonprofit, which will allow them to offer tax incentives to potential sponsors and expand their impact.
Dreams of a Permanent Kitchen
Their bigger dream? A professional kitchen in Sedgefield, equipped with ovens, prep stations, freezers, and storage, to serve as both a base for Mina’s Kitchen and a production hub for frozen meals, including pet food, that can be sold to support the project. This kitchen would also provide more weekday work for the women and eliminate the logistical strain of hauling equipment every week.
To sustain and grow this initiative, the Mohabirs and Mina are aiming to raise R500,000 through their BackaBuddy campaign. These funds will cover six months of Saturday feedings for 500 children, but that’s only the beginning. So far, they have raised R15,500 with the help of 8 incredible donors, laying a strong foundation for what they hope will become a lasting legacy of hope and nourishment.
Pictured above: The ladies of Mina’s Kitchen
“There’s so much more we could do with the right tools,” says Keshav. “We need a reliable vehicle, industrial ovens, training courses for the women, and proper storage. This isn’t just about feeding kids, it’s about creating jobs, empowering women, and building a better community from the inside out.”
For Mina, this journey is deeply personal. She’s no longer just working to support her family, she’s leading a movement that feeds and nurtures children.
For Shulka and Keshav, Mina’s Kitchen has become their heart work. “We came here for a fresh start,” says Shulka, “but we found something we didn’t even know we were looking for, a deeper purpose, a connection to something bigger than ourselves.”