World Hunger Day reminds us that addressing hunger begins with practical skills, local action, and investing in young people.

Scouting in Schools WC

Through SCOUTS South Africa’s Food for Life programme, young people are equipped with practical knowledge to grow their own food, establish vegetable gardens, understand nutrition, and develop sustainable habits that strengthen food security within their homes and communities.

As part of the programme, Meerkats, Cubs, Scouts and Rovers have been turning learning into action: from micro-gardening initiatives in schools in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, to Group vegetable gardens supporting food kichens in Gauteng. These initiatives demonstrate how youth-led action can contribute meaningfully to food resilience and healthier communities.

Developed by SCOUTS South Africa in 2005, the Food for Life programme received international recognition and was adopted by the Africa Scout Region in 2008, with Scouting organisations across the continent progressively rolling out the programme to equip young people with practical food-growing skills and support local food security.

By empowering young people with life skills and opportunities to serve, Scouting is helping to build confidence, resilience, and sustainable local solutions to hunger — contributing to SDG 2: Zero Hunger. #scouts4sdgs.