Mission Statement

To create partnerships between vulnerable households and caring people to combat malnutrition which, when suffered by children, undermines the Nation’s health, education and economic potential. As such, Operation Hunger concentrates its efforts in marginalized communities serving "the poorest of the poor".

Executive Summary

Operation Hunger came into existence in 1980, as a registered fund-raising organisation, and has a history of concern for the nutritional condition of people in South Africa.

During 1994/95, Operation Hunger broadened its approach from relief work to include more focus on development work. During 1999, Operation Hunger registered with the Department of Welfare in terms of the Non-profit Organisations Act No. 71 of 1997, and has become one of a growing number of NGOs that meet the criteria required to partner with government departments in the alleviation of poverty.

Operation Hunger works with local communities to initiate locally specific development programmes designed to create an environment conducive to optimum child growth. The organisation has strengthened its capacity in the areas of water supply, environmental sanitation, health/hygiene education, income generation, small-scale agricultural projects and goal oriented food support to provide much needed assistance to vulnerable communities throughout the country.

Operation Hunger has also extended its work to include HIV/AIDS prevention and AIDS home-based care projects as well as TB projects. This is because both diseases have devastating consequences with regard to poverty and malnutrition.

Organisational Structure

Operation Hunger has a national office based in Germiston, Gauteng and regional coordinators located in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo, North West and Western Cape provinces.

The regions have varying capacities and staff components, depending on the amount of work and funding available to them. All Operation Hunger field staff has received training in Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) methodologies and are capable of managing development programmes.

A constitution provides for a board of Trustees that elects a management committee to oversee the affairs of the organisation. Volunteers assist Operation Hunger nationally and regionally, both in committee structures and in fundraising activities. The Board of Trustees and Chapter committees are made up of volunteers. All community committees, for example; water; sanitation; nutrition and health are volunteers.