By Thato Didibeng
Not all superheroes wear capes. And not all superheroes have great days.
Limise Gagayi lost her home to a fire that broke out on Monday afternoon on 5 May 2025. Her home was a place of warmth and comfort. It also hosted her Meal After School initiative, which focused on combating hunger and providing educational support that the young people of the eThembeni community desperately need.
Limise Gagayi works 9 to 5 at Dr Davies Optometrist in Bathurst Street and then finds the time and dedication to empower and uplift the youth and the community after hours. Her work is a thankless but significant job.
Reflecting on COVID-19 times, Limise says nothing was easy about 2020. During lockdown, she was often shut down by the police because she did not have a certificate to issue food. However, her efforts were recognised by several community members who helped her obtain the necessary documentation. Sadly, that same documentation was lost in the house fire.
The fire has taken so much away from her; she was devastated to the core. Unsure about how she will build again or find funding, Limise is nevertheless undaunted about her mission" “There is no fire that is going to stop me from doing what I d".Many companies and organisations outside the city have praised Limise's work. Working closely with the Rhodes University Community Engagement (RUCE) and GADRA Education, the students she helps receive assistance for various educational and social opportunities from these two entities. RUCE often involves student volunteers to help Limise with the children after school.
Giving priority to the young and their education, Limise co-founded the garden initiative that was proposed to her for her community. She successfully started up gardens in five yards in her community.
"Once you have your own garden, poverty is a thing of the past”. Four of the five households now live off the gardens.
Limise believes that if her efforts can change one life, it can change many others. She also believes that her work is only the beginning. To those wondering how, she says, “Just start. It begins with pure intention and passion ”.
Not all heroes wear capes; indeed, some live amongst us.
Words of motivation from Limise Gagayi:
"This is not a project - it's a calling, a vision."
“Many kids are mothering and fathering themselves."
“I am going to give you tough love. First, you go to school, then you get food.
"I'm happy to say that out of the matriculants that we were helping last year, four passed, and one of those four is at Rhodes.”