#GRStories - INTRODUCING FATUMA

22 year-old Fatuma, a proud mother of two, started her own business selling vetkoek to survive the harsh conditions refugees are subjected to in South Africa.

In the spirit of mutual aid, she is seeking further support, with  illness in the family.

Fatuma stays at the Wingfield refugee camp, where over 700 refugees were ‘dumped’ at the beginning of COVID-19. The residents face harsh living conditions with minimal electricity, regular flooding,  abandonment from the government, and continual eviction threats. In the face of minimal assistance and persecution.

Fatuma supports herself, her baby girls and their terminally ill father by selling vetkoek. Working from 7am to 6pm, she makes less than R80 a day.

In March 2024,  law enforcement confiscated her stock and equipment in CBD, and she started afresh in May at the Ntirhisano Community Centre (NCC) based in Salt River.

Fatuma is a creative, intelligent young woman who hopes to pursue her studies, an opportunity denied to her as a child as she fled from her home in Burundi. She is hoping to take short courses in sewing and childcare, which are potential careers that she is passionate about.

Since November, business has been very quiet. Fatuma has been unable to replenish stock, and she is currently without income. She is seeking financial support for her family over the next two months and to kickstart her business again from early 2025.  

If you would like to reach out to Fatuma about other avenues of support, you can email her at Fatumamussarukundo@gmail.com. 

The banking account she uses is:

Account Name: Mustafa Irankunda 

Account Number:1303336316

Account Type: Nedbank         

Reference: Fatuma GRS  

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