Empty stomachs prompt Howick teacher to launch feeding scheme

A simple question from a concerned teacher has led to a meaningful change for dozensof pupils at Injoloba Secondary School in Howick. Thando Zuma, a Grade 8 and 9 teacher at the school, recently launched a breakfast initiative after discovering that many of her pupils arrive at school on empty stomachs. She said she became concerned after repeatedly noticing pupils looking tired and sleepy during the first lessons of the day.

“At first we would joke about it. But I started wondering whether something more serious was behind it,” she said. Zuma said she decided to conduct a survey in her classes, asking pupils whether they eat anything before coming to school.

The results revealed that a significant number do not have breakfast at home. “Most of our pupils come from disadvantaged backgrounds. It’s not that they don’t want to eat.

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In many cases, there is simply nothing available in the morning. “They rely on the school nutrition programme, which only provides a meal at around 11am, during break, which means that for the first few hours of the day, they are on empty stomachs,” she said. Concerned about how hunger was affecting concentration and academic performance, Zuma discussed the matter with the school principal.

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