By the Abafundi Food Initiative Team – 16 July 2025
When the Abafundi Food Initiative (AFI) launched in July 2025, our mission was to ensure that hunger does not stand in the way of education. We started with a simple idea to offer food parcels and grocery vouchers to students who were falling through the cracks of financial aid systems. We prepared to support a modest number of students, believing this would be a manageable contribution to alleviating student hunger. What we did not anticipate was the flood of desperate, heart-wrenching requests that would pour into our inboxes and WhatsApp lines within days.
We heard from students sleeping on empty stomachs and battling through lectures with no idea where their next meal would come from. Many had lost NSFAS funding due to administrative or academic issues, others were funded but found the allowance too little to stretch beyond rent and transport. Others, orphans, children of unemployed parents, or dependents on social grants had no financial support at all. The common thread across all their messages? Dignified desperation.
“I’m not financially stable and I do not have funding. I can’t even focus on my studies because of hunger.” – TUT student
“Although I receive NSFAS, it is not enough to cover food and toiletries. Some months the allowance is delayed or not received at all.” – UJ student
These messages have taught us that we underestimated the scale and urgency of student food insecurity in South Africa. This is more than a student welfare issue. It is a national emergency.
In a country where education is hailed as the pathway out of poverty, we must reckon with the paradox that thousands of students who’ve made it into institutions of higher learning against all odds are now watching their dreams unravel due to hunger. NSFAS contains gaps, delays, and exclusions. And despite universities’ best efforts, on-campus food relief remains insufficient.
We call on every South African individual, companies, foundations, alumni groups, and religious institutions to join us in this urgent mission. Help us scale. Help us reach more. Help us ensure that no student has to choose between dropping out or enduring hunger in silence.
Here’s how you can help:
- Donate grocery vouchers or food parcels.
- Spread the word through your networks.
- Volunteer your time or resources to grow this movement.
To join the movement, donate, or get involved, visit: www.abafundifoodinitiative.org
Or email us at: abafundifoodinitiative@gmail.com
Instagram: @Abafundi_FoodInitiative
LinkedIn: Abafundi Food Initiative
