Every time we sit down to a meal, a warm bowl of soup, a sandwich grabbed between meetings, or a family feast on a Sunday, there’s another plate we don’t see.
It’s the plate that stays empty.
It belongs to one of the 820 million people around the world who will go hungry today. In South Africa alone, that plate could be one of the 13 million facing food insecurity, a number that includes 1 in 5 children. This isn’t due to a lack of food. Far from it. The shelves are full. The waste is staggering. And therein lies the paradox.
Hunger in a Land of Plenty
Each year, South Africa wastes over 10 million tonnes of food. Perfectly edible food, enough to feed millions, ends up in landfills while people queue for their next meal.
This isn’t just a logistical problem. It’s a moral one. Food waste and hunger are not separate issues. They are symptoms of the same broken system. And at SA Harvest, we are here to change that.
More Than Food Rescue — A Food Revolution
We don’t just collect surplus food. We reimagine the entire food value chain.
From farms to factory floors, from supermarket shelves to storage rooms, we intercept edible food before it becomes waste. We partner with producers, manufacturers, and retailers, redirecting food to our national network of non-profits, community kitchens, and feeding schemes.
Every banana saved, every loaf redirected, every meal delivered, it’s part of a bigger mission: to end hunger in South Africa by addressing the systemic issues that create it.
Your Role in the Movement – Have a look
During World Hunger Awareness Month, the call was simple: Be part of the solution.
Here’s how you can help:
- Think Before You Toss: Plan meals. Use leftovers. Shop smarter. Every crumb counts.
- Support Redistribution: Back local initiatives that feed people, not landfills.
- Volunteer Your Time: Help us deliver hope in the form of nourishment.
Because behind every meal we save is a human story, of dignity restored, of potential unlocked.
The Unseen Plate
The Power of Us
Ending hunger isn’t about charity. It’s about justice.
It’s about believing that no one should be invisible. That no child should fall asleep with an empty stomach. That food, one of life’s most basic needs, should be a right, not a privilege.
When we act together, as donors, volunteers, partners, and conscious consumers, we turn compassion into action, and meals into change.
Be the Reason Someone Eats Today
Browse our website to learn more about how you can get involved.
Together, we can fill the unseen plate, and fix the broken system that left it empty in the first place.