At the University of the Western Cape (UWC), the academic year begins with hope, ambition and the promise of opportunity. Yet for thousands of students, this period is also marked by hunger — a reality that threatens learning, academic success and student wellbeing.
According to the university between February and April, students are most vulnerable as the academic year commences and they settle into campus life. The university anticipates that approximately 10 000 students will require food support.
Immediate need
To respond to this immediate need, UWC has launched the Feed the Need campaign, a focused call for assistance to ensure that hunger does not undermine students’ chances of success.
For Gerhard*, a first-year student from a rural village in the Northern Cape, arriving at UWC represents both hope and uncertainty. His family made significant sacrifices to send him to university, believing that education would open doors not only for him but also for those back home who depend on him. In the first weeks of the academic year, however, the reality of student life set in. Gerhard will have to attend lectures on an empty stomach for days. He dreads sitting in class, struggling to concentrate while hunger sets in.
Right now, it is a quiet and isolating experience, but he is aware that many of his peers are also facing similar experiences. Through UWC’s food support programme, Gerhard will receive a simple but nourishing meal of rice, beans, and vegetables — sufficient to restore his energy, improve his concentration, and reaffirm his sense of belonging at the university. More than nourishment, the meal affirms that he is seen, valued, and that his presence at the university truly matters.
Lived experience
Stories like Gerhard’s are not isolated. They reflect the lived experience of thousands of UWC students navigating the gap between enrolment and financial aid disbursement.To meet this need, the university estimates that approximately R7,4 million in food is required to support affected students for about two months. Contributions may take the form of cash donations or non-perishable groceries, allowing the university to respond flexibly and at scale. Importantly, all assistance is delivered in a dignified and discreet manner, protecting students’ privacy and ensuring that support is experienced as care rather than charity.
“UWC recognises that hunger carries stigma, and every effort is made to uphold students’ dignity while meeting their basic needs. The Feed the Need campaign calls on staff, alumni, corporates, philanthropic organisations and members of the public to stand with students during this vulnerable period. Each contribution — whether financial or in kind — directly supports students’ ability to remain engaged in their studies and to persist toward graduation. Food collection boxes will be placed in faculty offices, at building entrances such as the library and administrative buildings, at security offices at the main university entrances, and at other clearly visible and easily accessible points across campus,” reads a statement from the university.
To donate visit: https://bit.ly/Udubs-Cares
*Not his real name
