- Likuwe Konjwa works at an autism centre in Cape Town but has no money left over after paying monthly bills.
- High food prices forced Likuwe Konjwa to stop buying red meat and instead bake bread at home for her children.
Likuwe Konjwa works as a caregiver at the Ikhaya Elitsha Foundation. The foundation runs an autism centre in the Khayelitsha township in Cape Town. She uses her wages to support her family, but the high cost of living has left her struggling.
After paying her monthly bills, Konjwa has no money left. She spends R1,000 on groceries, R1,320 on school fees, R420 on a funeral policy and R100 on electricity.
To survive, she has cut out all items that are not important.
“Everything is going up, from clothes to groceries,” said Konjwa. “We no longer do things the same way we used to do because prices are too high.”
She said she used to take her children out for their birthdays. Now, she saves money by baking their birthday cakes at home.
Konjwa can no longer afford to give her children money for school. Instead, she bakes bread for their lunch. She said her children understand that the family has no money and must focus on important things.
The rising prices have also changed how the family eats. Konjwa stopped buying beef and pork. She now buys chicken, sausages, tinned food and a vegetable combo that lasts for the month.
Even small treats have changed. Instead of buying a large container of ice cream, she buys cheap ice cream for R10 or R14 from a local seller. She also only buys clothes for her children in June and December.
April is Autism Awareness Month. Konjwa asked parents not to hide their autistic children.
“They must give them love and treat them like other kids. And also community members needs to stop calling them names,” she said.
Pictured above: Likuwe Konjwa, a caregiver at Ikhaya Elitsha Foundation’s autism centre, takes care of her family.
Image source: Buziwe Nocuze
