Tana Malinga
For a hungry child walking into a classroom, a lunchbox can mean far more than food. It can mean concentration, dignity, hope and another chance to dream.
In Yeoville, Johannesburg, the Frida Hartley Shelter (FHS) Lunchbox Project is helping make that chance possible, providing nutritious sandwiches to about 200 vulnerable schoolchildren every school day, with numbers sometimes reaching 300 children.
Now, the initiative is getting a major boost.
The Temba Bavuma Foundation, in partnership with KFC, is stepping in to strengthen and expand the project. FHS, which has run the initiative for years, built its foundation, while the Bavuma Foundation is taking responsibility for its long-term sustainability and fundraising, with KFC providing support to help extend its reach.
The need is urgent. Some children arrive at school without knowing where their next meal will come from.
South Africa’s Department of Basic Education confirms that school nutrition can improve attendance, punctuality, concentration and learners’ overall wellbeing. Its National School Nutrition Programme is specifically designed to ensure that children have the energy to remain alert and receptive during lessons.
For FHS, the message is simple: a child should not have to choose between education and food.
The shelter’s Centre Operations Director, Cheryl Hlabane, explained that the Lunchbox Project was born after seeing how many children in the community were going to school hungry. The ambition now is to ensure that hunger never becomes a reason for a child to miss school.
The project is also addressing another barrier facing vulnerable girls- period poverty while FHS continues its wider work supporting women, children and vulnerable families.
For Bavuma, the mission carries a deeply personal meaning.
The Proteas captain has reflected on growing up alongside young people whose lives could have taken very different paths depending on the opportunities available to them. He says he was fortunate to receive opportunities that helped him realise his potential, and believes interventions such as the Lunchbox Project can give today’s children that same chance.
His vision extends beyond simply handing out meals.
The Foundation is exploring sustainable solutions such as vegetable gardens so communities can eventually contribute to feeding themselves. Bavuma says the ultimate measure of success will be whether the Foundation continues changing lives long after his cricket career has ended.
KFC’s People, Culture and Purpose Director, Andra Nel, says the company believes children cannot reach their full potential without proper nutrition and that supporting the project is about helping young people focus on their education and future.
The partnership comes as the Temba Bavuma Foundation celebrates its 10th anniversary, with education, cricket and community development remaining at the heart of its work.
And the call from Yeoville is bigger than one organisation.
The children need help.
More partners. More food. More resources. More hands.
Because 200 lunchboxes can feed 200 children today but with greater support, that number can grow.
South Africa’s own school nutrition programme demonstrates the power of partnerships, including community involvement, food gardens and donations.
The challenge now is for businesses, communities, organisations and individuals to ask one uncomfortable question.
If we know a child is going to school hungry, what are we prepared to do about it?
Sometimes changing a life does not begin with a grand gesture.
Sometimes it begins with opening a lunchbox.
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About the Temba Bavuma Foundation
Founded in 2016 by South African national cricket captain Temba Bavuma, the Temba Bavuma Foundation is committed to empowering young people from previously disadvantaged backgrounds through education, cricket and community development. The Foundation champions five core values: Access, Mentorship, Excellence, Growth and Change. For more information, visit www.tembabavumafoundation.com
