Meeting the needs of the Khayelitsha community

Change begins with how and when we interact with those around us. Change is often not received well, but can make a positive impact if it improves the lives of those around you. Known in the community of Khayelitsha as Mama Iris, Iris Busakwe is the embodiment of this type of positive change. She improves the lives by meeting the needs of the Khayelitsha community. She does this through her soup kitchen drive and education center.

Coming from Knysna, and only knowing her husband, Khayelitsha gave Iris the opportunity to have a house of her own. Iris’ work in the community is her way of thanking them for opening their land to her when she arrived in the Western Cape.

In 2020, during the peak of Covid, Aunty Iris started the Edyardini Community Development. She mourned with her community as they tried to recover from the effects Covid had caused. As she saw how the people of Khayelitsha were struggling, she knew she needed to step in and assist. 

Many people could not afford the same lifestyle they were living previously. She opened her home to the community by running a soup kitchen out of her garage. With the help of five volunteers, and donations of vegetables and bread from Woodstock Brewery, Iris manages to feed the community of Khayelitsha three times a week.

Aunty Iris loves serving the children of her community. She believes a good education is the door to all possibilities. In order to ensure the children of Khayelitsha have the best opportunities, she donates her time to teaching and assisting the children of Khayelitsha with their homework and school projects. She does this by using her TooMuchWifi Uncapped Line at home! 

Not only is her home a safe place for children to learn, she has also created a library for those living in the heart of Khayelisha. She uses her account with TooMuchWifi to provide internet access to the library. Homework, job research, and online activity is now easier and cost effective for those who don’t have an internet connection.

TooMuchWifi is not only present within physical communities, but has a large online presence as well. Iris found a TooMuchWifi rep on Facebook and decided to sign up- bringing TooMuchWifi to Khayelitsha! She makes use of TooMuchWifi’s Uncapped Line at home for personal use but also for her at-home office and for the library. 

TooMuchWifi is constantly in awe of Iris’ heart for her community. Her passion to meet the needs of those around her is inspiring. TooMuchWifi is honoured to serve her as she continues her efforts to better the lives of those living in Khayelitsha.