KFC and Gift of the Givers Team Up to Combat Child Hunger in South Africa

As the festive season approaches in South Africa, the spirit of giving shines bright, particularly through the collaborative efforts of KFC's Add Hope campaign and the Gift of the Givers Foundation. Together, they tackle the grave challenge of childhood hunger and malnutrition that continues to affect millions in the nation.

The KFC Add Hope initiative invites customers to contribute R2 every time they purchase a meal during the month of December, with every donation being directly funneled to the Gift of the Givers, the largest disaster response NGO founded on the African continent, headquartered in South Africa. Making the effort more impactful, KFC has pledged to match the amount raised within this period, magnifying the effect of every individual's generosity.

This partnership has roots in both organizations' long-standing mission to alleviate hunger. With a distressing report from the Nelson Mandela Children's Foundation indicating that approximately eight million children in South Africa suffer from hunger, the situation calls for immediate and sustained action. Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, who founded Gift of the Givers in 1992, emphasizes the urgency as he reflects on the organization’s on-ground experiences with children and communities struck by disaster.

Meanwhile, KFC points out that the magnitude of change a small donation can spark is often underestimated. Andra Nel, the brand's Marketing Manager for Purpose emphasizes that the collected R2 donations, though seemingly modest, have been instrumental in transforming the lives of many children scattered across the country.

Gift of the Givers goes beyond providing immediate relief through food parcels by establishing long-term solutions such as small-scale agriculture projects, which empower communities to secure their own sustenance. Their innovation has led to the creation of a groundnut high-energy, protein supplement that has gained recognition worldwide.

KFC’s Add Hope program has been a beacon of success since its inception in 2009. By partnering with over 130 non-profit organizations and providing more than 33 million meals annually, the program sets a precedent for corporate responsibility and communal charity. Remarkably, it has managed to raise over half a billion rand to date—all without any admin fees siphoned off from the R2 donations.

The profound challenge of both combating immediate food insecurity and establishing the pillars of sustained food security is a testament to the shared commitment of both organizations. This holiday season, they encourage South Africans to extend a helping hand, stating that imparting Hope to the nation's children is possibly the most precious gift to be given in a time of celebration and reflection.