Over 150,000 families across South Africa received food parcels this past Eid al-Adha as part of a Qurbani (sacrifices) campaign by Awqaf SA.

“Our mission is to restore dignity,” said CEO Mickaeel Collier, adding that it was a project rooted in faith, driven by heart, and made possible through unity.

“We want to build communities, not dependencies.”

For more than 25 years, Awqaf SA has quietly built a legacy of sustainable social investment — it is not a charity in the conventional sense, but a community development organisation, grounded in Islamic endowment principles.

Collier said Awqaf SA uses invested capital to generate long-term benefits for education, health, and poverty alleviation.

The Qurbani campaign, a sacred annual tradition that honours the sacrifice of Prophet Abraham, has evolved into one of Awqaf SA’s flagship projects. More than 200 cattle were ethically sourced and processed, resulting in over 120 tonnes of meat distributed from Cape Town to Johannesburg.

“In a country where food insecurity is growing, our challenge isn’t just about reaching people, it’s about doing so with consistency, dignity, and integrity,” said Collier.

He said that the work was fuelled by private donors, community partnerships, and the unpaid labour of volunteers.

Then there are the emotional challenges; like the grief carried by Berto du Toit, a white Afrikaner farmer, who, despite losing his son in a tragic accident during the Qurbani week, honoured his commitment to ensure the delivery of livestock.

His actions, carried out in the midst of mourning, became a powerful gesture of Ubuntu and a reminder that real humanity is defined not by words, but by deeds, Collier said.

“Oom Berto and his late son believed in this work,” he said. 

“They understood that compassion has no colour, and that faith in humanity must live in action.”

In a time when despair often feels easier than hope, the work of Awqaf SA reminds us that small, consistent efforts can change lives. That dignity can be restored through a meal, a visit, or a listening ear. That Ubuntu is not a slogan, but a practice.

“We don’t need saviours. We need citizens who see themselves as part of the solution,” Collier said.

Their work cuts across lines that too often divide us: race, religion, class, and even political affiliation.

IOL

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