Food for thought and to fill up empty tummies in communities

Hunger is a reality in South Africa and so is unemployment, especially among the youth. Two organisations have partnered to fight these scourges together.

- By Naledi Sikhakhane

A women's shelter, a school, an orphanage and an early childhood development centre will be among the recipients of nutrient-dense food bars distributed by Eat 2 Grow (E2G) in honour of Mandela Day on 18 July.

E2G, a social enterprise that fights hunger worldwide, has partnered with United Way South Africa (UWSA) to deliver spirulina food bars to communities in South Africa throughout July. E2G produces these high-protein, immunity-boosting bars packed with minerals and vitamins that are designed for communities with limited access to nutritious food.

The director of UWSA, Queen Mokonoto, says 500 to 800 youth in Diepsloot, Johannesburg, will be among the first recipients of these food bars. The bars will be distributed on a day that will also feature discussions about challenges the youth face, such as hunger, unemployment and finding ways to earn an income.

"One of the pillars of UWSA is education," said Mokonoto. "So with our youth empowerment we have a lot of entrepreneurial programmes, educational programmes. We'll be talking about how to apply for jobs, create CVs, look for employment, as well as how they can become entrepreneurs."