About Us

Learn more about our charity organisation and our mission to make a positive impact on the world through our initiatives

Making the world a better place

Hands for Hunger is a student-led initiative working to reduce food insecurity in our community through consistent, action-driven efforts.

We organise food drives, collect essential items, and partner with local organisations to ensure donations reach the people who need them most. By bringing together students, schools, and communities, we are able to turn small contributions into real impact.

Our goal is simple, to make helping others accessible, consistent, and meaningful.

Changing Lives

Providing food and essential items to communities, shelters, and organisations through our ongoing food drives.

Building Futures

Creating opportunities for young people to get involved, take initiative, and be part of meaningful change.

fa330ccc cd41 49e2 864d f9a4bd6f78ad 1 105 c

01800696 1246 4d8d 9fe2 3ffec2bcf2f9 1 105 c

955c162f 4712 4f1c b111 87d01285a9e7 1 105 c

bd11c8e4 bbac 4ab6 bd9e d22cebb84c26 1 105 c

Our Story

Hands for Hunger was founded by Meela Modi, a 16-year-old high school student in Johannesburg who is passionate about giving back and making a real difference in her community.

The idea started from a personal experience. Someone very close to Meela struggled with an eating disorder and became severely malnourished. Seeing the impact of that firsthand made her realise how serious and often overlooked the issue of proper nutrition can be.

It led her to think beyond just one person — and to recognise that many people face malnourishment not by choice, but because they simply don’t have access to food.

As she looked deeper into this, she realised that food insecurity is a major crisis in South Africa, affecting millions of people every day. Wanting to take action in a way that felt tangible and immediate, she chose to focus on her own city, Johannesburg.

She reached out to her closest friends, bringing together a small group of people who shared the same drive to help. Together, they began building what would become Hands for Hunger — starting with simple food drives and growing through consistency, effort, and community support.

Since then, the initiative has continued to expand, with a growing network of volunteers, partnerships with local organisations, and ongoing projects aimed at supporting those in need.

7805979b a720 452f 8a7a 732c6963e8ff 1 105 c

Our Vision & Mission

Vision

We envision a community where no one goes hungry and everyone has access to basic, essential resources.

Mission

At Hands for Hunger, our mission is to reduce food insecurity by mobilising students and communities to collect, organise, and distribute food to those who need it most. Through consistent food drives, partnerships, and volunteer initiatives, we aim to create both immediate support and long-term impact.

Community-driven impact: We bring together students, schools, and local organisations to take action and support those in need.
Consistent action: Through monthly food drives and ongoing initiatives, we ensure support is not just once-off, but continuous.
Youth-led change: We empower young people to take initiative, lead projects, and be part of meaningful change in their communities.
Sustainable giving: We focus on building long-term partnerships and systems that allow us to grow and reach more people over time.

Help us reach our goals

Support our cause and contribute towards our mission to create positive social impact.

Donate Now