- Around 2,000 children will benefit each year through schools and Early Childhood Development Centres in Gauteng, Cape Town and Durban
- Four-year long initiative will provide approximately 400,000 nutritious breakfasts annually in underprivileged communities
- Partnership leverages the power of sport and community to help address childhood nutrition and create a more supportive environment for education
Emirates, European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), and the Kolisi Foundation have launched the Emirates Nourishment Programme, a long-term initiative designed to ensure that thousands of children start every school day with a nutritious breakfast, giving them a stronger foundation to learn, develop and thrive.
Across South Africa, an estimated 15 to 16 million people experience food insecurity, with children often bearing the greatest burden. Breakfast is frequently the first meal sacrificed, yet it is one of the most important for a child’s ability to concentrate, participate in class and engage in learning throughout the day. The Emirates Nourishment Programme aims to address this by providing approximately 400,000 nutritious breakfasts every year—around 1.6 million breakfasts over the initial four-year partnership—ensuring around 2,000 learners each year have the opportunity to begin every school day nourished and ready to learn.
The initiative, which will run until 2030, combines nutritional support with the inspirational power of rugby, creating opportunities for children not only to receive consistent access to breakfast, but also to engage with role models who demonstrate resilience, teamwork and leadership.
The Kolisi Foundation believes that lasting change requires addressing inequality in all its interconnected forms. Through programmes focused on food security, education, gender-based violence prevention and sport, the Foundation works alongside communities and strategic partners to remove barriers that prevent young people from reaching their full potential.
Commenting on the launch of the Emirates Nourishment Programme, founder of the Foundation, Siya Kolisi said “No child should have to choose between learning and hunger. I know from my own journey how much opportunity can change a life, but it’s difficult to dream, concentrate or believe in yourself when you’re hungry. That’s why this programme matters. A nutritious breakfast may seem like a simple thing, but for a child it can mean arriving at school ready to learn, to grow and to believe in what’s possible.”
The Foundation’s Managing Director Mahlatse Mashua, added, “Good nutrition is one of the most powerful investments we can make in a child’s future. A breakfast served consistently over an entire school year doesn’t simply satisfy hunger—it improves attendance, supports cognitive development, enables children to participate more fully in the classroom and creates better conditions for learning. Those seemingly ordinary mornings accumulate into extraordinary opportunities over time.
“We are grateful to Emirates and EPCR for their commitment to this shared vision. Together, we are helping create an environment where children can focus on being children, learning, growing and building brighter futures for themselves, their families and their communities.”
Jacques Raynaud, CEO of EPCR, said “Rugby has a unique ability to unite people, inspire communities and create meaningful change beyond the field of play. Through our impACT strategy, EPCR is committed to harnessing that power and working with partners who share our ambition to leave a positive legacy.
“The Emirates Nourishment Programme is a perfect example of what can be achieved when organisations come together around a shared purpose. Together with Emirates and the Kolisi Foundation, we will be supporting thousands of children across South Africa with the nutrition they need to learn, develop and thrive. We are incredibly proud to launch this programme and excited about the impact it will create over the years ahead.”
Afzal Parambil, Emirates’ Regional Manager for South Africa said, “At Emirates, we have a legacy connecting communities through our sponsorship portfolio, using sport as a platform for social inclusion and youth development. Through this partnership with EPCR and the Kolisi Foundation, we hope to remove one of the barriers that can stand in the way of learning and opportunity, helping young people reach their full potential, and deliver a positive impact that extends far beyond the classroom.”
By combining consistent nutritional support with the unifying power of rugby, the Emirates Nourishment Programme represents a long-term investment in South Africa’s children. Together, Emirates, EPCR and the Kolisi Foundation are helping ensure that thousands of young people begin every school day nourished, ready to learn and better equipped to realise their potential.
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