Through Add Hope's beneficiary partner, The Lunchbox Fund, this donation will supply either breakfast or lunch, based on their requirements, to 15 schools in the Eastern Cape and 14 schools in KwaZulu-Natal — serving 9 377 children in total.

This support ensures that all meals are covered, and children attending classes are not left with empty stomachs. It goes above and beyond KFC's current contribution to society of 30 million meals annually through its 1 000+ feeding centres.

"We have always aimed to truly drive the spirit of youth development and believe that a child with a full belly has the potential to change the world," says Andra Nel, marketing manager of brand and purpose at KFC.

"Many of these children have been let down, and so it is important that we continue to ramp up our efforts in these regions with this funding being an additional relief effort on top of our usual nutritional outreach with The Lunchbox Fund," adds Nel.

The Eastern Cape Province is characterised as one of the provinces with high rates of food insecurity in the country — accounting for nearly 900 000 people experiencing food insecurity, according to the Department of Agronomy at the University of Fort Hare.

Given that the province also relies heavily on agriculture, climate change is an added constraint and is further undermining food security, which has resulted in increased reports of childhood malnutrition and starvation in the region, says KFC.

"South Africa has the highest youth unemployment rate and the highest levels of inequality globally. Lack of equal education is a principal driver of unemployment. The Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal are two of the country's largest, most rural and poorest provinces," says Margot Collett, director of fundraising and communications at Lunchbox Fund.

"Lunchbox Fund's daily school meals are a strong incentive for children to attend school, be punctual and learn while there. This critical relief feeding initiative is a component of our larger national school nutrition programme, where we are currently feeding 65 000 children each school day. As winter sets in, learners rely even more on this daily school meal," adds Collett.

"Food insecurity is a real challenge facing our nation, significantly affecting South Africa's poorest citizens and impacting children. When hunger impacts our youth, it is not only heart-breaking to observe but also traps these individuals in a cycle of lost opportunity and educational stunting from which it is nearly impossible to break free," says Nel.

"This Youth Day, we have the opportunity to help inspire the youth to reach for, and achieve, their dreams, and it can all start with a simple meal," concludes Nel. 

For more information, visit www.addhope.thesocialcollective.co.