Finger lickin’ good charity adds hope

It is sobering to realise that, according to the latest General Household Survey by Statistics SA, almost one in four households say they don’t have enough to eat.

Many of those who go hungry are school-age children.

Malnourishment not only has serious physical impacts on health, but it also dramatically affects the cognitive, physical, social and psychological development of youngsters, leaving them at lifelong risk of health and economic challenges.

ALSO READ: More than 1 in 4 children under age 5 face ‘severe’ food poverty: UNICEF

Researchers studying the impact of fast-food giant KFC’s Add Hope campaign show that even small donations – such as the R2 people voluntarily contribute when buying a meal at KFC – can make a difference in the lives of our school kids.

The initiative has raised almost R1 billion in 15 years – R644 million from KFC customers and R391 million for the company – which goes towards providing tens of thousands of school meals daily.

ALSO READ: Actress Hlubi Mboya-Arnold steps down from her role at UN’s World Food Programme

While this is a fine example of corporate social responsibility, it also shows South Africans are willing to dip into their pockets to help others less fortunate.

More than anything, though, it proves that even a little contribution from the better-off can be life-changing for many poor people.