Hunger Steals Potential – Sage Fights Back by Yvette Chochoe, Foundation Regional Manager, Sage Africa and Middle East

Hunger Steals Potential – Sage Fights Back: By Yvette Chochoe, Foundation Regional Manager, Sage Africa and Middle East

The call to action captured during Mandela Month: “It is still in our hands to combat poverty and inequality,” resonates far beyond the month of July. It serves as a lasting reminder that meaningful change requires sustained commitment. While the symbolic 67 minutes of service remains a meaningful tradition, the true impact lies in continuous, collaborative action to address South Africa’s most pressing challenges.

Among these, child hunger stands out as both a humanitarian crisis and a critical barrier to the nation’s educational and economic progress. The statistics are sobering: 23% of children in South Africa live in severe food poverty,?according to UNICEF. Twenty-three per cent of children in South Africa live in severe child food poverty. These children are up to 50% more likely to suffer life-threatening malnutrition, a stark indicator of how hunger endangers not only health but future potential.

Turning Commitment Into Impact
It is in response to this urgent need that the partnership between Sage Foundation, the Attacq Foundation, and Rise Against Hunger finds its deeper purpose. Since 2021, we have come together each year in honour of World Food Day and Mandela Day, to demonstrate what can be achieved through unified action.

Our collaboration is not limited to meal-packing events. The Sage Foundation carefully identifies beneficiary organisations within our network to receive these meals, ensuring the support reaches the most vulnerable. We go further by volunteering at these centres, offering both maintenance assistance and skills-based support that adds long-term value.

We believe that tackling hunger, especially in early childhood development (ECD), goes beyond providing food. It’s about opening a world of possibilities for young children by laying the foundation for their educational journey and cognitive development. A hungry child cannot concentrate, engage, or thrive in a learning environment. By ensuring consistent access to nutritious meals, we are directly investing in their ability to learn and in the future they deserve.

Real Numbers. Real Impact.
Since the initiative’s inception over the past 4 years, our joint efforts have made a measurable difference. Together with Attacq Foundation and Rise Against Hunger, we have collectively:

• Packed over 683,330 nutritious meals
• Procured approximately 54,937 kg of food
• Reached over 2,971 children through consistent meal support

These meals are distributed to ECD centres across Attacq’s communities nationally, providing life-changing nourishment to thousands of children. This impact underpins the immense power of sustained, coordinated efforts.

A Purpose That Drives Us
At Sage Foundation, our purpose is clear: empowering the entrepreneurs of today and tomorrow to do great things and change the world. This is more than a slogan, it’s a deeply held belief that guides everything we do. We understand that lasting progress means building thriving communities, breaking down systemic barriers, and empowering people through education, opportunity, and support.

Our commitment is backed by action. Every Sage colleague receives five paid volunteer days each year, which they use to support causes close to their hearts. This enables us to scale our impact through initiatives like Rise Against Hunger, where our people share their time, talents, and compassion to create lasting change. We understand that true progress extends beyond business success to fostering thriving communities, empowering individuals, and making a tangible difference in the world we operate in. We are committed to investing our resources, our time, our technology, and our expertise to drive positive change, particularly in areas like education and community upliftment.

The fight against child hunger and inequality is far from over, but together, we can change the story. Let’s keep Mandela’s legacy alive, not just in words, but in the everyday actions that shape a better world enabling everyone to thrive.

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

Author: Banele Mahlangu from Burson on behalf of Sage.