In the past decade, a partnership between a corporate and an NGO has served 3 420 000 meals to West Coast primary school children. Now it’s building on that success.
Initially, the focus was to ensure children who needed food got school meals then, two years ago, a project at a St Helen Bay primary school sought to make the partnership more impactful. It has since proved so successful that the concept has now been introduced at two other West Coast Schools with a third planned this year.
Oceana, the largest employer in the area, conceptualised the Schol Nutrition Support Programme which is delivered by the Peninsula School Feeding Association, in conjunction with the Department of Education, Western Cape.
Its foundation is to feed children with dignity. For Oceana, which owns the iconic Lucky Star brand, this meant providing proper prefabricated kitchens at each school, a supervised, clean, comfortable area where the children could eat, and supplying plates, cups, and utensils.
In the 190 days between March 2024 and February 2025, the School Nutrition Support Programme provided 418 000 nutritious, cooked meals to 1 100 learners at HP Williams and EJ Malgarte Primary Schools in St Helena Bay and Masiphathisane Primary School, in Vredenburg.
Petrina Pakoe, director of the Peninsula School Feeding Association, explains that school meals are the primary source of nutrition for many learners.
“Our tagline is you can’t teach a hungry child. Regular access to meals improves concentration and focus in the classroom. Good nutrition is also essential for brain development and cognitive functioning, directly impacting academic success.”
There are other benefits. These include improved school attendance and reduced drop-out rates. The guarantee of a meal encourages children to go to and stay in school.
The programme also brings community benefits.
Community volunteers prepare the meals. They receive fully accredited training, providing the volunteers with recognised, marketable skills, in addition to the stipend some receive from the school.
Their training, overseen by a chef, is thorough and includes both theoretical and practical components and assessments. The 17-day course covers food preparation using a variety of ingredients, creating menus, food safety, meeting regulatory hygiene requirements and budgeting.
The School Nutrition Support Programme is the latest evolution in a long association between Oceana and Peninsula School Feeding. Since the two started collaborating in 2015 to feed learners on the West Coast, Oceana has funded 3 420 000 meals.
The School Nutrition Support Programme costs R712 000 a year and Oceana has just renewed the funding until the end of March 2026.
Neville Brink, Oceana CEO, says since the first kitchen opened at HP Williams in November 2022 the intention was to replicate it if successful.
“Speaking to the parents, teachers, school principals and community leaders it’s clear the benefits are considerable. It’s why we’re committed to continue funding the programme and expanding it, with another fully kitted kitchen due to open this year.”
