Want to help feed 80,000 meals to those in need every day? Add your R2 to KFC's donation

Food insecurity is a tangible challenge facing our nation, with SA’s poorest citizens being on the front line, especially children. The devastating impact of hunger on young people traps them in a cycle of lost opportunity and stunting, which is the impaired growth and development that children experience from chronic malnutrition. 

In SA, about 6.5-million people struggle with hunger regularly. And of those, 45% under five go to bed hungry or suffer from malnutrition, because they cannot afford a healthy diet. World Food Day, which is marked on Sunday, October 16, acts as a strong reminder about the issue of hunger and food security.

Andra Nel, marketing manager brand and purpose at KFC SA, says hunger is the gatekeeper to solving many societal challenges since a hungry child can't grow, learn or thrive. In adulthood, malnutrition results in people underperforming and not contributing to society as much as their potential should allow.  

“Hungry children are more likely to have reduced self-confidence and emotional ability to connect with people, which has an impact on mental wellness. In addition, many physical comorbidities that result from hunger remain. This is one of the many reasons we are proud of KFC’s Add Hope programme: It not only helps to address food insecurity — knowing there is a next meal, but also many societal challenges.”

Doing more, collectively

Nel says Add Hope is the perfect example of our power as a collective. Small change really does make big change.

“In the past year, the R2 Add Hope donations made by the public amounted to more than R60m. When added to KFC's contribution of more than R30m, we are able to fund more than 130 non-profit organisations across SA, allowing more than 1,000 feeding centres to operate on a daily basis.

“We have about 150,000 children who are part of the programme. What's more important than the number of children being fed, is how regularly they are getting a meal — that’s food security. We've served more than 250-million meals since Add Hope began, with a bold ambition to reach the 500-million mark by 2030.”

Growth and development challenges

One of these challenges is that 27% of SA's children are stunted, one of the highest rates in the world. Sue Wildish, MD of The Lunchbox Fund, which partners with the Add Hope programme, says that if a child has been subjected to ongoing hunger from the day they are born, they are never going to be able to catch up.

“Some 90% of a child's brain has been configured by the time it's five years old. From our perspective, the Add Hope funds are directed straight into early childhood development nutrition programmes. We support about 11,000 children every day with a nutritious breakfast or lunch meal with the help of KFC Add Hope — proof that a little donation makes a huge difference. We use every cent of it to put hot, high-quality food into the mouths of our most vulnerable children. Your R2 really is more important than you could imagine.” 

Gloria Nkosi, deputy country director of Hope Worldwide SA, says the partnership with KFC Add Hope has allowed them to provide micro-food parcels to children in different preschools and communities nationwide.

“We encourage parents to bring their child to the centre or school early so that their child will receive a hot bowl of porridge with the daily micronutrients required. This is a win-win for the parent: knowing their child is going to eat and receive an education, while in a place of safety.” 

Exponential return on investment

Wildish notes that the World Bank did a global study on the impact of childhood nutrition, and it believes that for every $1 invested, you get $35 worth of return in the child's life. “Nutrition support is changing the lives of young children nationwide. It is so heartwarming to witness and we are so grateful for our partners.”

Nel says: “Together we can create a snowball effect, in the spirit of ubuntu. We believe our role goes beyond the short term of solving the hunger challenge faced by so many children. We also focus on the long-term aspects of physical and mental wellbeing, and their ability to concentrate better and learn more effectively. After all, this is what will ultimately make them more productive citizens and ensure a brighter future for our country.” 

This article was paid for by KFC.