Pick n Pay continued its inaugural “Project School Takeover” at Kleinfontein Primary School near Swellendam, marking the second of three rural school interventions this month in communities where the retailer operates.

Pick n Pay and its partners responded to the financial pressure many South African families face at the start of the school year, when too many children still arrive at school without basic necessities. The handover saw 33 learners receive grocery hampers valued at R1000 each, along with essential school supplies, shoes, vouchers and nutrition support.

Through school-specific support, this Pick n Pay initiative aims to give learners and their families a dignified, supported start to the year so they can focus on learning, not hunger. In partnership with Pick n Pay School Club, the Feed the Nation Foundation (FTN) and a wide network of suppliers, Pick n Pay’s Project School Takeover champions the power of unity to create real change.

In addition to the individual hampers for every learner, the school also received bulk grocery support for its feeding scheme, as well as educational classroom content.

“The purpose is to give every child and their family a start to the year like they have never had before, with peace of mind around their most basic needs,” says Phillip Gittins, Head of Media and Advertising at Pick n Pay. “Together with our business teams, suppliers and partners, we have coordinated food, stationery, clothing and equipment to bring real relief to schools and the communities they support.”

A child cannot focus on learning when basic needs are unmet. Project School Takeover recognises that learner success depends on more than academic materials alone, ensuring children are equipped to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

“By funding and coordinating the food hampers for all three schools, Feed the Nation Foundation is proud to help strengthen food security and dignity at the start of the school year,” says Deirdre Mullins from FTN. “When families are supported, children arrive at school ready to learn and grow.”

One of the day’s biggest highlights for learners was the opportunity to meet Springbok rugby players, Zachary Porthen, Babalwa Latsha, and Sinazo Mcatshulwa, three standout South African rugby players who are passionate about youth development and community upliftment.

The initiative forms part of the wider Pick n Pay School Club programme, which will support more than 2 750 primary schools across South Africa in 2026. Operating as a collaboration platform, School Club enables like-minded organisations to work together rather than in isolation, amplifying impact and reaching learners at scale.

Pick n Pay aims to grow Project School Takeover annually, supporting under-resourced rural schools across its national footprint so that learners can reach their full potential from day one of every school year.

Pick n Pay and partners also visited Corrie Lynn Primary School in Petrusstroom, KwaZulu-Natal, for the final activation of the January 2026 School Takeover programme.

Join us in making a difference by supporting the Feed the Nation Foundation through donations or partnerships: https://feedthenation.org.za/

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