CAMPUS HUNGER: Students tell of going up to 7 days without food
University students recount skipping meals, relying on friends and university aid to manage the financial burden of student living.
University students across South Africa are struggling to find enough food to eat on a daily basis, with research indicating that up to 65% of students in South African universities go hungry at times. The Union Against Hunger (UAH) submitted a report to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in March, highlighting this issue.
One student at Stellenbosch University (SU) went without food for up to seven days during April and May when he didn't receive his NSFAS allowance. He relied on friends for help before turning to university support. Another student at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) faces an "ongoing cycle" of financial difficulty every two weeks, often going a week without food.
The UWC student has to prioritize her limited funds, often skipping meat and vegetables to afford essential items like sanitary pads and toiletries. Recommendations from the UAH to address student hunger include recognizing students as a vulnerable group, conducting regular campus-wide food security surveys, integrating food security indicators into university performance metrics, and increasing NSFAS allowances to better reflect the cost of student necessities.
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