A lunchtime food bank in Cape Town has quietly carried more than 70 students through their degrees

At the University of Cape Town, a small food bank called Student Outreach and Support opens for one hour at lunchtime, four days a week, and lets students choose the groceries they actually need. Founded in 2024 by science faculty staff member Mohammed Kajee, it has supported more than 70 students — 48 of them this year — including graduates who credit it with helping them finish their degrees when funding problems left them hungry. Run on donations and student volunteers, it has raised just over R26,700 (about $1,500) toward a R100,000 (about $5,800) target for 2026.

SDG 2 · Zero hunger — Mechanism: community action