Cover image: La Table d'Heshima signage
© Entrée to Black Paris

While making our way to Le Coupe Gorge for lunch the other day, Tom and I saw a man peering out of a ground-floor window at the building on Avenue Victoria that was formerly occupied by Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris.

Take-out counter of La Table d'Heshima
© Entrée to Black Paris

From the signage above the window and on the sidewalk, we discovered that he was standing at the take-out counter of a charitable catering company called La Table d'Heshima.

Sandwich sign for La Table d'Heshima
© Entrée to Black Paris

After enjoying lunch and running an errand, we went back to La Table d'Heshima to learn more about it.

The man we saw in the window was Beau-Jacques Ilondo, the communications intern for the organization.  He called a colleague from the depths of the room and asked her to tell us about the organization.

We were delighted to learn that the woman was none other than Andjelani Kasseyet, president and co-founder of the company!

Madame Kasseyet explained that heshima means "respect" in Swahili.  She said that La Table d'Heshima has been in existence since 2013 and that its mission is two-fold:

1) To support the education of AIDS orphans in the Democratic Republic of Congo, prioritizing young girls who are often automatically deprived of schooling. 

2) To promote the social and professional integration of women immigrants in Ile-de-France.

The organization offers a full catering service that can be booked with 72 hours' notice.

From their location at Les Arches Citoyennes, 3 avenue Victoria, they sell take-out breakfast from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM and world cuisine for lunch. 

On the day we happened by, they were selling salmon-zucchini lasagna and vegetarian lasagna as main dishes and fruit salad as dessert.

La Table d'Heshima menu for the week of July 8, 2024
© Entrée to Black Paris

Because we had just eaten, Tom and I only purchased bissap and ginger juice to take home.  We enjoyed both beverages later that day.

Les Arches Citoyennes is a social enterprise project, which is bringing together businesses that embrace social utility and solidarity alongside economic performance. Madame Kasseyet estimates that the artists, artisans, and associations that currently rent space in the building will be able to stay there until the end of 2024. 

Andjelani Kasseyet and Beau-Jacques Ilondo
© Entrée to Black Paris

After this time, renovation of the building will begin with the intent to install a permanent, environmentally-friendly complex with the same mission.  It will be called Hospitalités Citoyennes.

I plan to return to the building, which has an entrance to a courtyard on quai des Gevres, to check out the other organizations that are renting space there. 

I will also return to La Table d'Heshima to sample their menu.

La Table d'Heshima signage - Avenue Victoria
© Entrée to Black Paris

La Table d'Heshima
Email: latabledheshima@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeshimentVotre
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tableheshima/
To donate, click HERE.