How it started with a nephew, and a letter from a school.
Kamile was honoured for feeding 30,000 people a month across Cape Town.
Kamile Abbas
Things On Wheels began when founder Kamile Abbas's nephew was born paralysed from the waist down. Visiting him at EROS School, Kamile saw children with cerebral palsy fighting for small moments of happiness — so he started fixing their belongings and installing TVs just to put a smile on their faces. When his nephew later moved to Rosedon House, a home for elderly people with cerebral palsy, Kamile kept going, fixing swimming pools and computers, anything that needed a hand.
Feeding people in need became the mission not long after — first 50 people, then 100. Then a school sent home a letter asking parents to pack one extra slice of bread, for the child in class who hadn't eaten in three days. That letter changed everything. Kamile started feeding schoolchildren from Grade R to Grade 4, and never stopped.
Today, Things On Wheels feeds 600 children a day, across 490 schools, and 50,000 people a month, including informal settlements. In 2018, Kamile was named a Lead SA Hero for his work.
“He unselfishly does for his fellow human being without ever asking why.”
Our Mission
Things On Wheels strives for the alleviation of poverty and to uplift communities. Our mission is to feed, educate, advocate and work for the people living in poverty. We want to transform people's lives, futures and communities.
Our Vision
Our work aims to break the vicious cycle of poverty and social isolation and to restore hope for a better future. We believe every person has the right to access resources and opportunities to live and develop with dignity, and to become an active, contributing member of society. We strive to create a world where no person, at no time, should go hungry.
What guides everything we do.
Commitment
To the people we help and their transformation. We are committed to loving and serving those who are poor and marginalized, striving to enable lasting improvement in their lives, families and communities.
Respect
Consideration shown to all people and commitment to teamwork. We aim to fully value everyone and affirm personal dignity and uniqueness, in our work with communities, supporters and partners alike.
Integrity
Living our values with transparency and consistency. We honour the trust placed in us by the families we serve, and aim to do the right things for the right reasons, whether or not anyone will know.
The team behind the wheel.
