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Ubuntu Mundo, a nonprofit initiative located in Hoedspruit, Limpopo, is making remarkable strides in improving child nutrition and food security in rural South Africa. With the help of strategic partnerships, including support from Enza Zaden South Africa, Ubuntu Mundo is working to create a sustainable, long-term solution to hunger by integrating agriculture with daily meal programs for vulnerable children.
At the heart of this work are Roland Oosterhout and Cecilya Bravo, who left behind their lives in New York City to create a space where children could receive nutritious food and care rooted in dignity and sustainability.
Every day, over 1,000 children across two feeding stations receive a fresh, nutritious meal grown directly from the organisation’s on-site gardens. These meals are often the sole source of daily nourishment for the children who benefit, serving as a vital source of strength, health, and hope.
Founded in 2016, Ubuntu Mundo began with just 86 children and purchased food. Today, the initiative grows the majority of its vegetables, such as spinach, beetroot, onions, tomatoes, carrots, and cabbage, on a 1.5 HA garden, including a greenhouse. The food is harvested early in the morning, prepared by a team of cooks, and served that same day, ensuring maximum nutritional value for the children it supports.
“We try to grow everything in a way that it can go straight from the garden to the pot,” Roland explains. “So the nutrition is as good as it can get.”
The garden not only feeds the children at the local site but also supplies vegetables to a second feeding station located 50 kilometres away. This expansion has allowed the organisation to reach even more children in under-resourced communities.
To take sustainability a step further, Ubuntu Mundo has launched a commercial sweet pepper project, one that is already transforming the organisation’s long-term viability. This social enterprise now spans nearly 7 HA, with 2.5 HA under net house production and 4.5 HA in open fields. All profits from pepper sales go directly toward funding the feeding program.
Enza Zaden South Africa proudly supports this effort by providing high-performing sweet pepper varieties, including:
• Trooper – A vigorous, high-yielding variety with excellent plant strength and continuous fruit set, even under winter conditions.
• Banker – A strong, productive hybrid ideal for commercial yields.
These varieties are helping Ubuntu Mundo target average yields of 80-90 tonnes per hectare, bringing both commercial viability and impactful community support into harmony.
With a full-time team of 25 staff members, additional seasonal workers, and a growing network of local and international partners, Ubuntu Mundo is proving that sustainable agriculture can drive real, lasting change for the next generation.
Ubuntu Mundo’s vision is only possible with the support of individuals, organisations, and companies that believe in creating a better future through food, dignity, and opportunity.
👉 Visit www.ubuntu-mundo.org to learn more about their work.
💚 Make a difference today by making a once-off or monthly donation and help nourish the lives of children who need it most.
Together, we can cultivate hope, one seed and one meal at a time.
Author: Rene du Preez - Marketing Specialist at Enza Zaden Sub-Saharan Africa