Franklin & Marshall’s global community of students brought together an economics major from Cape Town, South Africa, and a public health major from Pound Ridge, N.Y., to tackle the issue of food access in South African schools.

Rising seniors Jordan Samuels and Lyla Loria are the co-founders of Fuel for Thought, a nonprofit that provides meals and educational resources to students in South Africa through partnerships with local communities, schools and organizations. 

The first seeds of the idea were planted when Samuels was a student at Ubuntu Football Academy School in Cape Town, which would eventually become Fuel for Thought’s first partner school. Students brought their meals from home, and those who couldn’t went without. 

“Growing up in a disadvantaged country, there was inequality all around me,” Samuels said. “I was fortunate to have meals provided and the right nutrition growing up, but I know a lot of South Africans aren’t as fortunate.”

Samuels could see the impact that poor nutrition had on his classmates’ academic and athletic performance and knew they’d be able to achieve more if they had access to food that would fuel their success. The idea stayed with him even as he moved to the U.S. to attend high school and eventually enrolled at F&M, where he befriended Loria. 

"Growing up in a disadvantaged country, there was inequality all around me. I was fortunate to have meals provided and the right nutrition growing up, but I know a lot of South Africans aren't as fortunate."

-Jordan Samuels '26

Loria’s passion for global health, as well as her interest in marketing and photography, made her an ideal collaborator for the project. Loria was interested in researching infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue, and ebola, but through her friendship with Samuels became more aware of the role of nutrition in global health. 

“When Jordan came to me wanting to do something about nutrition, it opened up this new window to getting involved,” Loria said. 

"People are donating to provide meals, but it's really about what the food empowers kids to do. It shows that people care about their well-being and they'll have what they need to succeed."

-Lyla Loria '26

Both students said F&M’s liberal arts education gave them the skills, resilience and innovative thinking they needed to navigate the process of setting up a nonprofit. 

“Having that sort of education helped Lyla and me roll with the punches, because there were a lot of things we didn’t know,” Samuels said. “We really grew with the organization. To this day, we don’t have it all figured out, but we’re learning. We’re really proud of how far we’ve come.”

For Lyla, the ability to pursue all her passions—no matter how disparate they might seem—ended up being the perfect preparation for all the hats she would need to wear as a co-founder.

“I have a lot of different interests, and it’s only at a place like F&M with a liberal arts education where I can pursue all those things,” Loria said.

Loria and Samuels traveled to South Africa in May to visit Fuel for Thought’s partner schools, and said they are already seeing the immediate impact of their work. 

“People are donating to provide meals, but it’s really about what the food empowers kids to do,” Loria said. “It shows that people care about their well-being and they’ll have what they need to succeed.”

In South Africa, students typically bring meals from home, and those who can't go without. Fuel for Thought is partnering with schools to ensure all students can have meals provided. Photo credit: Lyla Loria

Fuel for Thought provides meals and educational resources to students in South Africa through partnerships with local schools. Photo credit: Lyla Loria.

Fuel for Thought provides meals and educationalr resources to students in South Africa through partnerships with local schools. Photo credit: Lyla Loria

Loria and Samuels traveled to South Africa in May to visit Fuel for Thought's partner schools, and said they are already seeing the immediate impact of their work. Photo credit: Lyla Loria

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