10/08/2026
Creating bespoke itineraries for guests and looking beyond the usual tourist offerings is a challenge I relish, particularly when their visit can benefit local communities and leave a positive impact.
A recent request from repeat guests to Cape Town is one such example. When they asked whether there might be an opportunity to spend some time supporting a local feeding scheme, The Service Dining Rooms immediately sprang to mind.
Established in 1935 during the Great Depression, The Service Dining Rooms was founded in response to widespread hunger and unemployment in the city. Today, it serves approximately 275–400 meals every weekday at lunchtime. With no government funding, the organisation relies on donations, volunteers, sponsors and community support to continue its work.
At its heart is a principle focused on dignity rather than charity. Clients (as they are referred to) contribute R2 towards a hot, nutritious meal, a small but important distinction that helps preserve a sense of self-worth and independence.
Our time there was humbling in a quiet, unassuming way and gently reminded us that privilege brings both an opportunity and a responsibility to contribute where we can. Often, meaningful contribution doesn’t require grand gestures. Sometimes it is simply showing up, giving your time, listening, and helping with what needs to be done.
This is a small example of what responsible travel can look like: not simply consuming a place, but engaging with it respectfully, supporting the communities that make it what it is, and considering how our presence can have a positive impact.
