Kings and Queens Matric Breakfast initiative, nourishing learners for success

HOPE for the Future is hosting its fifth annual Kings and Queens Matric Breakfast, standing by the belief that no learner should face their final exams on an empty stomach.

By providing a nourishing meal, the organisation aims to fuel both confidence and concentration, giving matrics the energy they need to succeed.

This year, the organisation is hosting the initiative at Modderdam High School in Bonteheuwel, catering for around 171 learners. 

The class of 2025 started their final exams on Tuesday, which will conclude on November 28. 

Each morning before their exams, the matriculants are treated like royalty, welcomed with a hearty buffet spread of options that includes eggs, viennas, cereal, fresh fruit, salad, and muffins, tea and coffee, among others. It's more than just a meal; it's a moment of care and encouragement during one of the most stressful times in their school journey.

At the end of their last exams, they also receive a celebratory braai.

“The reason why we are hosting these learners some are 12 years in school, some 13 and this is the last mile of that journey, writing their final exams. As Hope for the Future, we also know there is a lot of children coming from poverty-stricken backgrounds, where most of them go to bed hungry and even wake up with nothing. Final exams are three long hours, so we Hope for the Future want to eliminate their growling tummies and offer them a buffet with the king's and queen's breakfast. Nobody can go and sit and write an exam paper for so long on an empty tummy. We’ll also be there to motivate and encourage them,” said Hope for the Future founder, Vanessa Nelson. 

Where vulnerable learners are identified, they are also given an extra meal to take home. 

Nelson started the initiative in 2021, at Heideveld High, 2022 and 2023 they were at Cathkin High, 2024 they were at Modderdam and this year they are going back.

“We are going to stay at Modderdam. We have our Girls before Violence programme related to gender-based violence and our Young men with distinction for boys, so we are going to do an alternative way of measuring the statistics in terms of matric results. So the grade 8 class who started in 2025, we want to walk that mile with them until their matric year. We are going to partner with another organisation and the school. 

“We find in many cases the psychosocial issues at home may be problematic and it shows up as behaviour issues our school. Our motto is to eradicate and eliminate, ensuring that we change the narrative by catching them before they fall through the cracks and giving them that extra support. So they have a bigger and brighter future and ending at and finishing their matric. So it’s not just about feeding their tummies, it’s feeding their souls, feeding their minds,” she added.

The organisation is calling on good Samaritans for any support they are able to provide. Food items needed include bread, butter, viennas, eggs, sauces, sausage, milk, fruit, pancake and muffin mix, tea, coffee, sugar and cereal. 

Donation drops can be made at 281 Bonteheuwl Avenue or 167 Katberg road, Heideveld. Monetary donations can be made to Hope for the Future via FNB, account number: 628 607 28058. Alternatively, Nelson can be contacted on 076 073 6777.

Cape Times