Stepping in to fill the gap

Lizanne Isaacs, 41, a third-year social work student at the University of Cape Town, and her daughter Reeva, 22, a social science student, established Stepping Stones after noticing many of their classmates were going hungry during the day.

“We started packing extra lunches and buying KFC for them, but realised it was inadequate as lots of students were going hungry, so we established the organisation,” said Lizanne.

A lecturer also helps to cook meals once or twice a week.

The nonprofit has now partnered with UCT’s department of social development to provide about 100 students with sandwiches, fruit and tea and coffee daily.

Students have expressed their gratitude to Lizanne by sending her WhatsApp messages, including one which reads: “I am so grateful for the food project because it has helped me so much. In the past, I used to struggle to buy food because I have to support my mother back home with the little that I get from my bursary since she is unemployed.”

Meanwhile, the founder of Project Making a Difference at the University of the Western Cape, Venicia McGhie, said that more than 40 staff members from the economic and management sciences faculty contributed either a one-off amount or monthly towards the fundraising initiative.

One of the students told her in a note: “It was really bad for me coming to campus without anything in my stomach. I was expected to listen in lectures while I hold my stomach from making noise because I did not want to disturb the next student.”