Kaskar festival revs up support for hungry students
The 30th annual Kaskar Festival, brought together students, local churches, and community members for a push-cart race and food drive.
On Friday, NG Universiteitsoord in Hillcrest hosted its 30th annual Kaskar Festival, bringing together students, local congregations, and community members for a high-energy go-kart race and food drive.
Operating under this year’s theme, ‘Drive to Survive’, the milestone event focused on addressing student hunger at the University of Pretoria (UP) by collecting non-perishable food parcels and monetary donations.
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The drive comes at a critical time for tertiary students across South Africa, where studies show that between 30–65.5% of university students experience food insecurity during their academic careers. UP publications highlight that more than one-third of students regularly face uncertainty about where their next meal will come from or go to bed hungry.
It is through initiatives and church drives, such as Drive to Survive, that solutions are being provided. With the help and investment of local churches, community outreach programmes, student outreach, student leadership, and overall community participation, solutions, both big and small, are addressing student hunger.
The initiative was organised in partnership with Life Abundant, an organisation within UP’s Faculty of Theology and Religion and Oppistoep, a collective of local student-focused churches including NG Universiteitsoord, Elim, St Wilfrid’s, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn.
Along the track on Herold Street and around the church grounds, the event combined serious purpose with community spirit. Spectators cheered on teams across Friendly, Open, and Main Residence race categories while enjoying live music, an organ concert, and a drum majorettes performance. Food stalls kept attendees fed with fresh pancakes, boerewors rolls, chicken burgers, and artisanal baked goods.
By uniting sportsmanship, local leadership, and community goodwill, the anniversary festival demonstrated how grassroots efforts can directly relieve pressure on vulnerable students. The evening concluded with a prize-giving ceremony honoring top-donating teams and a traditional sokkie, celebrating 30 years of a festival dedicated to keeping students fed.
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