Have you heard about the Hekkie Project?

At the Hekkie Bazaar, you’ll find an air of festivities; boerewors sizzling on the grill, smells of delicious potjiekos permeating the air, kids laughing giddily running around and delighting in ice cream and pancakes, fresh from the pan.

The event has become a more consistent means to raise some much-needed funds and create awareness of the project. For those who are not in the know yet, the origins of this project started with a wonderful tale in a not-so-wonderful time...

People in need often seek help from the church. But, with the outbreak of the Coronavirus, all churches were forced to close with lockdown regulations. People no longer had an outlet where they could receive food parcels, yet the need to survive had become greater and greater for many.

Ester de Villiers could not sit idly by during the hard lockdown while many suffered without help. She started at home, taking groceries from her own pantry to distribute wherever the need was highest. She then asked friends and acquaintances to kindly buy groceries to bring to her gate for her to redistribute to the gates of those in need.

At the time there were strict restrictions, so donations could only be delivered to her “hekkie” (gate). Ester then contacted those in need and would drop the groceries at their “hekkies” (gates). And so the "Hekkie Projek" (Gate Project) was born. After the strict lockdown regulations were eased, Ester began heart-to-heart visits with the people to hear their stories.

In order to better meet the increasing need in these difficult times, it was decided to hold the fundraising Hekkie Bazaar. Currently, the project has almost 100 people to whom food is delivered, and this number is increasing.

Over and above the groceries to be purchased, the organisers have also contributed electricity, as well as assisted to level out an elderly couple's garden. The couple had a hard time being mobile and were able to plant and enjoy gardening again.

Seeff Hermanus is proud to be associated with a woman with such a generous heart and a willingness to make a difference in the community where she lives, and will once again be supporting this initiative this year.

Should you wish to get involved in this amazing selfless initiative, contact Ester de Villiers on 083 448 1684. With thanks in advance from Ester de Villiers.