The JSE-listed real estate company pursues many causes beyond real estate, and eradicating child hunger to facilitate learning is one of those causes.

In early childhood development, a period crucial to the building blocks of educational achievement, sweeping away hunger unlocks a world of possibilities for pre-school children.

The Attacq Foundation, over the last two years, has been funding, packing and distributing nutritious meals to Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in regions within the three provinces in which the Attacq group operates.

Its partner in this project to stamp out child hunger and foster learning is Sage, Attacq's resident client in Waterfall City. The entire initiative has successfully been facilitated for the third year running, through Rise Against Hunger, a volunteer-based meal packaging, distribution and results-orientated nutrition programme organisation.

"The main purpose of the Attacq Foundation is to collaborate with communities in which we operate to provide a sustainable long-term impact in those communities. We do this through socio-economic development, skills development initiatives, SMME initiatives as well as general community support programmes," says Danny Vermeulen, Attacq's human capital and transformation manager and trustee of the foundation.

The Attacq Foundation's pillars are education and skills development. According to the foundation, learners need a nutritious meal in their bellies to be able to think, concentrate and absorb learning material. Attacq Foundation's partnership with Rise Against Hunger speaks to this pillar, linking nutrition and education in the all-important foundation-phase.

Since Attacq's Rise Against Hunger campaign began in 2021, it has fed 1 036 children under the age of six, every day, at school.
Partnerships and funding are crucial to the success of initiatives like the Rise Against campaign, one of the Attacq Foundation's flagship projects. With just Attacq and Sage sponsoring the event, there is only so much that can be achieved.

"We believe that we are unable to make a meaningful and sustainable difference and have the largescale impact that we want to create by conducting this project in isolation. As influential organisations within our communities, we need to combine our resources and efforts to achieve greater results," says Janine Palm, social executive at Attacq.

Attacq Foundation's call to action is widening support. The first-year target was to pack 90 000 meals, a target that was exceeded by about 6 000. In 2022 the Attacq Foundation packed more than 154 000 meals, surpassing its 120 000 target. This was with  assistance from partners Sage Foundation and Balwin Foundation respectively, as well as the community, schools and NGOs.

To date, the Attacq Foundation and Sage have procured around 21 318kgs of food and packed 283 330 meals. All of those meals were distributed to ECD centres in Attacq's communities nationally.

"Rise Against Hunger provides the product that makes up the meal package for our annual Rise Against Hunger campaign. The Attacq Foundation, together with the Sage Foundation, provide the funding, and Attacq's tenants support the initiative by sending their staff to pack meals," says Vermeulen.

"This year, we are incredibly excited to welcome activation partners in Pfizer, Astute and Balwin Foundation. The companies resonate with the plight of our communities and have come on board as contributing partners with volunteers and financial assistance," adds Vermeulen. 

Attacq Foundation's Rise Against Hunger initiative is run at all Attacq's retail assets, which include:
  • Lynnwood Bridge in Pretoria
  • Garden Route Mall in George
  • Eikestad Mall in Stellenbosch
  • MooiRivier Mall in Potchefstroom, and 
  • Mall of Africa in Waterfall City.

Of the 154 000-odd meals that the Attacq Foundation packed in 2022, over 100 000 were collected from Mall of Africa, which were then distributed to community ECD centres.

Last year six production lines with 18 volunteers per line were used to pack meals at Mall of Africa. But with 2023's target raised to 200 000 meals to be packed and distributed nationally, in 2023 additional shifts have been added.

In 2023 the Rise Against Hunger meal-packing initiative will be hosted at the Mall of Africa's Waterfall Park in Waterfall City on Mandela Day on Tuesday, 18 July.

Meal-packing initiatives across the country will be hosted at the following retail centres: 
  • Eikestad Mall in Stellenbosch
  • Garden Route Mall in George
  • MooiRivier Mall in Potchefstroom, and
  • Glenfair Boulevard shopping centre at Lynnwood Bridge precinct.

Individuals are encouraged to join as a volunteer on the day at one of the regions by clicking here.