Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
24 July 2025 | 14:15 CAT

📷 Students and volunteers join forces during UP’s Giving Month Pack-a-thon, assembling food parcels to fight hunger on campus.

The University of Pretoria (UP) has sounded the alarm on student hunger with its annual Giving Month campaign, spotlighting the growing crisis of food insecurity among its students. “It takes an entire community to help a student in need to complete their studies,” says Deirdre Adams, Deputy Director of Fundraising and Alumni at UP.

At the heart of the campaign is SNAP, the Student Nutrition and Progress Programme, a vital support initiative targeting food insecurity, which Adams describes as “a very important institutional priority.” According to UP, of its 56,000 students, nearly 50% lack funding, with many caught in the so-called “missing middle”: students whose households earn too much to qualify for financial aid but too little to afford the rising cost of higher education.

The reality on the ground is stark. Over 2,000 students remain on a waiting list, while the SNAP programme can currently assist only 250 students every two weeks with food parcels. “We’d really, really like to support more,” says Adams, pointing to the financial limitations hampering the programme’s reach.

A standard SNAP food parcel includes non-perishable staples, canned beans and fish, maize meal, rice, and cooking oil designed to ensure nutritional balance. Encouragingly, the Mojagabedi food garden in Hatfield now supplements parcels with fresh produce, enhancing students’ dietary variety. Meal vouchers are also provided to those unable to cook for themselves.

Beyond food, SNAP offers wraparound support, addressing mental health, academic pressure, and early intervention for at-risk students. “It’s not just about feeding them—it’s about keeping them on track,” Adams explained.

To meet growing demand, UP is calling on the public for donations and volunteers. The highlight of the campaign is the Pack-a-thon, scheduled for next Wednesday at Hatfield campus. “We ask you to bring at least one non-perishable item and sign up,” Adams urged. Information is available via email at giving@up.ac.za or by calling 012 420 4030.

As hunger threatens to derail academic journeys, UP’s Giving Month stands as a call to action, one that echoes across all campuses in South Africa.

Listen to the full interview on The Dialy Round-Up with Moulana Juanid Kharsany and Deirdre Adams.