Eliza Stewart

Eliza Stewart’s early activism began at the age of seven,  when she delivered a school speech on the cruelties of battery farming. Since then, the 23-year-old has channelled her sense of justice into building practical alternatives to extractive food systems. The University of Cape Town student co-runs the Mowbray branch of  Good Food Club — a hyperlocal, values-driven food distribution hub operating out of her family’s garage. Every three weeks, Eliza coordinates orders from regenerative and black-owned farms, manages logistics, hosts market-day collections, and fosters trust between suppliers and buyers. She says the club, now three years old, “relies on trust in both small and large moments” — an ethos that shapes her approach to food sovereignty and social justice. Her academic focus in environmental and geographical science and sociology complements her hands-on work, bridging theory and community action. Eliza is also a committed Ultimate Frisbee player and serves on the Bafazi Diversity Fund board, which supports women of colour in the sport. She helped lead a global campaign challenging the inclusion of Israeli teams in international competitions, drawing parallels to other political sport boycotts.

Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences, University of Cape Town – majoring in Environmental & Geographical Studies and Sociology (*final year)

• Reached three years of running Good Food Club Mowbray — a period that has brought a steep learning curve, particularly in developing financial and social skills
• Built a trust-based relationship with members, as stock is often purchased and orders placed with businesses in advance, relying on members to pay promptly
• Communicated club culture and values consistently to all members
• Earned trust from suppliers by committing to payments within one week, as commercial supermarkets may take months to pay

I deeply admire Reverend René August, who is my godmother but has also been a mentor figure in my life. René is an amazing communicator who is able to move people and mobilise them towards justice. She is a deep thinker with a wide range of knowledge. I am constantly impressed by how much she knows and is willing to share, and by the depth of nuance she is able to hold. I appreciate how she is resolute in pursuing justice in the world and has publicly been a voice for the oppressed, such as the Palestinian people in Cape Town. At the same time, she is able to be very soft with people.