Thousands of Meals served at SOS Children’s Villages World Food Day

16 October 2025, SOS Children’s Villages in South Africa commemorates World Food Day. The child protection and alternative care organisation advocates for every child and young person to have the nourishment they need to thrive.

For many of the children who arrive at SOS Children’s Villages across the country, food insecurity and constant hunger is a fact of life.

The SOS Drop-in and Social Centres play a vital role in their communities in addressing hunger and food insecurity. Located in different provinces, they provide safe spaces where children can access nutritious meals, ensuring that they do not go to school hungry. The centres also enable children to take food home for supper, which significantly alleviates the burden on their families. This support helps bridge the gap caused by economic hardship and ensures that these children can attend school consistently without the distraction of hunger. At SOS Drop-in Centres, more than 700 000 meals are served each year. At these Drop-in Centre’s, together with the SOS Children’s Villages where alternative care is provided, more than one million meals are served each year to children and young people.

“I am proud to highlight the profound impact of our initiatives on the lives of the children and young people we serve. Currently, over 700 children and young people in this location benefit from our feeding and nutrition programme, most of whom come from households with limited income. Many of these families rely solely on government social grants, which are often insufficient to meet their basic needs,” says Peter Kotlolo, Programme Director at SOS Children’s Villages Sekhukhune Social Centre.

SOS Children’s Village Gqeberha

Tammy was recently welcomed at this SOS Children’s Village. Tammy (two), and her brother Sammy (seven) have had a difficult start to life. Their mother is addicted to pain medication and abuses substances daily. They have grown up in a small flat with their grandmother, who is bedridden due to a stroke, and their three aunts and their cousins. The aunts would often call their children to the table for a meal and make Tammy and Sammy watch while they ate, denying the two children any food. Tammy and Sammy have been with SOS since April this year, and even though food is not an issue anymore, mealtimes are a difficult reminder for Tammy. She insists on feeding herself and being in total control of her plate, but at two she lacks the skill to feed herself properly, so her SOS house mom must give her a spoon while she feeds her with another spoon. Tammy’s food must also be cut small and made soft as she often doesn’t chew, only swallowing to get to the next mouthful. Her house mom also decided to feed her smaller meals more frequently, ensuring that there are many healthy snacks in between meals, so that Tammy does not become anxious about being hungry. Sammy has been Tammy’s main caregiver. He struggles to let an adult care for his sister and would rather go without his own food so that Tammy can have more.

*Names changed for child protection.

This is the story of just two children at the SOS village, who have dealt with hunger their entire lives.

Behind every meal served is a story of kindness from community members, donors, and volunteers who dedicate themselves to ensuring that children do not go to bed hungry.

Their compassion turns these feeding programmes into a lifeline, transforming tears into smiles and despair into determination. Parents express gratitude knowing their children are cared for, and the community grows closer through this shared mission.

Donors like KFC ADD HOPE and supporters of SOS make this possible through their continued support of the nutrition and feeding programmes nationwide.

“I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all stakeholders, partners, and staff who contribute to this programme. Together, we are creating a nurturing environment for vulnerable children, which promotes their well-being, education, and prospects,” concludes Peter Kotlolo.

Please go to https://www.sossouthafrica.org.za/

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SOS Children’s Villages is an independent NPO and NGO that advocates for the rights of South Africa’s most marginalized/vulnerable children. We offer loving, family-like care for children and young people who have lost or are at risk of losing parental care. Established in 1984, SOS has seven Children’s Villages and three Social Centers across eight provinces.

Each year the SOS Alternative Care, Family Strengthening and Youth Employability programs provide life-changing support to more than 5 000 children across the country. The Alternative Care model comprises of four principles that include a mother (each child has a caring parent), brothers and sisters (the family ties grow naturally), a house (a secure place to grow up in) and a village (the SOS family is part of the community). At SOS Children’s Villages, the House Mothers are formally trained in child-care, they are qualified Child & Youth Care Workers (CYCW).

The Family Strengthening Programme aims to enable children who are at risk of losing the care of their families to grow within a safe family environment, by building the family’s resilience. SOS works in co-operation with local authorities and other service providers to empower families and communities to effectively protect and care for their children.

Contact: Seithuto Seakgwa | Seithuto.Seakgwa@sos.org.za | 082 575 1114