In this episode, we sit down with Mark Maingaard, CEO and spokesperson for Outside the Bowl (OTB) Africa, as they celebrate 10 years of fighting child hunger across Africa.
From his humble beginnings in Lansdowne and navigating life at Rondebosch Boys’ High, to serving as a chef in the SA Navy, Mark shares his incredible personal journey and the 2009 divine calling that redirected his life toward feeding vulnerable children.
We dive deep into the origins of OTB Africa, from its roots in Paarl alongside founders Jae and Debra Evans, to building a sustainable model through Kingdom Foods and Handcrafted Foods. Discover how OTB Africa ensures that 100% of public donations go directly into food production, keeping operational overheads completely separate.
Mark doesn't hold back on the brutal realities facing Mzansi's youth today: the heartbreaking definitions of "stunting" and "wasted" in Early Childhood Development (ECD), and the troubling reality that South Africa spends significantly less on feeding a child than on maintaining a prisoner.
Plus, we talk team culture, a legendary world-record attempt featuring 30 giant pots of potjiekos, the great generational debate over afval (tripe & trotters).
We also put Mark through an impact-driven version of Say Ma Now, asking:
💰 If you had R100 million to tackle hunger in one South African city, where would you start?
🌍 And if you could choose any person, dead or alive, to become an ambassador for Outside the Bowl Africa, who would you choose?
As Outside the Bowl Africa celebrates its 10-year anniversary, this episode is a powerful conversation about food, faith, purpose, poverty and what it really means to serve your community
.Find out more about Outside the Bowl Africa, follow their work and learn how you can support the mission through their website and social media.
📍 South African stories. Real conversations. Gen C Podcast.
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