A warm meal can change everything… from a child’s ability to learn, to an entire community’s future. But these meals are doing so much more!
Western Cape, South Africa (05 April 2025) – Something really special has been cooking on the West Coast. And it’s not just the nutritious meals.
Over the past ten years, a powerful collaboration between Oceana and the Peninsula School Feeding Association (PSFA) has dished up over 3.4 million meals to learners in the area. But two years ago, this already impactful initiative levelled up and now it’s making an even bigger difference in the lives of hundreds of children, their families, and entire communities.
It started at HP Williams Primary in St Helena Bay. What was once a mission to simply fill empty tummies became something far more nourishing: a dignified, sustainable solution with long-term benefits. The idea was to do more than serve food, it was to create safe, clean and uplifting spaces where children could sit down to warm, healthy meals together. And the results have been phenomenal.
The revamped School Nutrition Support Programme was conceptualised by Oceana, which many will recognise as the home of the iconic Lucky Star brand. With the help of PSFA and the Western Cape Department of Education, they brought this idea to life by installing prefabricated kitchens, providing cutlery and crockery, and training local community members to run the kitchens like clockwork.
In just 190 school days (from March 2024 to February 2025), the programme served a whopping 418,000 nutritious, cooked meals to 1,100 learners at HP Williams, EJ Malgarte, and Masiphathisane Primary Schools.
But this is about more than just numbers.
“Our tagline is you can’t teach a hungry child,” says Petrina Pakoe, director of the PSFA. “Regular access to meals improves concentration and focus in the classroom. Good nutrition is also essential for brain development and cognitive functioning, directly impacting academic success.”
And it doesn’t stop there.
School attendance is up. Drop-out rates are down. And for many learners, the knowledge that there will be a warm meal waiting is enough motivation to stay in school. That’s a win for education, for families, and for future opportunities.
On top of that, the programme is creating employment and skills development. Community members are being trained in accredited 17-day courses that go beyond basic cooking. These volunteers are learning how to prepare meals using a variety of ingredients, build menus, manage budgets and maintain the highest standards of food safety and hygiene. It’s hands-on, empowering, and often life-changing.
Neville Brink, CEO of Oceana, says that the idea was always to expand the programme if it worked and the response has left no doubt.
“Speaking to the parents, teachers, school principals and community leaders, it’s clear the benefits are considerable. It’s why we’re committed to continue funding the programme and expanding it, with another fully kitted kitchen due to open this year.”
With a yearly cost of R712,000, Oceana has just renewed its funding until the end of March 2026, a clear show of commitment to a future where no child in the region needs to sit in a classroom with an empty stomach.
It’s not just about feeding children. It’s about building communities, opening doors and proving what’s possible when heart and purpose come together with practical, people-first solutions.
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