HEAL WITH A MEAL

Sign up to the fight to beat hunger in our communities

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AT LEAST 15 million (though some say many more) South Africans suffer from food insecurity.

This means they don’t have access to sufficient food, or food of an adequate quality, to meet their basic needs.

Sadly, more than 1 000 children die from malnutrition each year, while 350 children die from malnutrition in BRICS partner nation Brazil - which has more than three times South Africa’s population. This is a terrible statistic! Dinge is erg, mense!

Around 19 million people get social grants a month, or 26 million if the nine million recipients of the special social relief of distress (SRD) grant are included. Without this, poverty and malnutrition in the country would be even higher.

However, these social grants are not enough, especially with the ever-increasing cost of living.

It is due to these alarming levels of food insecurity and malnutrition that school and community feeding schemes are so vitally important.

The government’s National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) provides one nutritious meal to all learners in poor primary and secondary schools.

Learners receive food on all school days. Food is offered to all learners. Where breakfast is served before school starts, the main meal is served later. They are not forced to eat.

While this programme is hugely impactful, it only serves as a partial solution to the lack of food in our communities.

The sad reality is that many people do not have food on their tables.