A team including a University of Johannesburg student has won R1 million in seed funding. Their mission? Tackle child hunger by rescuing food destined for the trash.
The winning team, Cntrl-Alt-Del-Hunger, took top honors at a hackathon hosted by UJ and KFC. Their innovative solution addresses both food waste and childhood malnutrition in one stroke.
How it works:
The team created a digital platform that rescues “imperfect” fruits and vegetables. These are crops that farms would normally discard due to cosmetic flaws. The platform redirects this nutritious produce to those who need it most. The cost? Significantly lower than retail prices.
“This initiative aims to reduce food waste and make nutritious produce more accessible,” the team said. Shepard Thobejane, a third-year Computer Sciences student at UJ, is a key team member.
The project partners with Misfits Mzansi to create lasting community impact. It operates on two pillars: sharing food security information and enabling donations through a Click to Feed feature.
To scale up, the team will leverage KFC’s Wi-Fi captive portal technology. They’ll also run social media campaigns and partner with influencers and organizations fighting hunger.
The competition:
The hackathon brought together young innovators, industry leaders, and community partners. After intense presentations, Streetwise Scripters claimed second place. Bit Coders secured third. Teams like Citrus Supreme and Hack 4 Hope also impressed judges with creative approaches.
The event supports KFC’s Add Hope initiative, which has raised over R1.2 billion since 2009. The program provides meals and promotes healthy eating across South Africa.
“We could not have done it alone,” said Nolo Thobejane, Chief People, Culture and Purpose Officer at KFC Africa. “The simplicity and universality of Add Hope have made it successful.”
Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, Founder of Gift of the Givers, emphasized the importance of partnerships. “Collaboration is key to addressing hunger and supporting the initiatives that work to eliminate it.”
UJ’s Professor Naudé Malan called for systemic change. “We must relook the way we deal with food and create hope within our agricultural structures.”
The event concluded with a rallying cry from KFC’s Akhona Qengqe. “We are here to ignite the spirit of ubuntu,” she said. The message was clear: only through shared purpose can South Africa overcome child hunger.