Feeding children. Bringing hope.

I work with a charity called Africa Food for Thought. This blog is an attempt to highlight the work AFFT does and lay the foundation for a couple of posts I'm planning on the effects of malnutrition.

AFFT works towards food security for children in support of education and helps more than 18 000 children to the west of Johannesburg in South Africa. We believe education is the key to children breaking the cycle of poverty. And we know that it is impossible to concentrate or learn on an empty stomach.

According to the Children’s Institute at UCT the effects of poor nutrition on children are far-reaching. It is estimated that more than 200 million children under five years globally will not realise their full cognitive development due to poverty, lack of proper care, poor health and inadequate nutrition. Research suggests that poor nutrition affects the educational outcomes of children, adult working capacity and economic productivity.
In Johannesburg, 43% of the poor face starvation and malnutrition. Researchers believe the figure could be higher and every day thousands of children go hungry.

We have three major programmes.

1. Schools

We support 15 schools feeding programmes. In most of these schools, the Department of Education supplies the staples. We add fresh vegetables and step in when a delivery is late. The majority of these schools will have an average of 1500 learners, of which about a 1 000 will make use of this programme.

Impact of the programme

• Children attend school more often and more faithfully where meals are provided.
• Learners are more attentive in class and can concentrate better.
• This is the start of our relationship with a school enabling us to partner with them in other programmes.

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2. Creches

We currently support 25 creches in informal settlements. These creches are owned by entrepreneurial ladies who fulfil a vital role in the communities they serve.
The children are in a crucial developmental phase. Proper nutrition and age-appropriate activities are vitally important. Too many children show up for Grade 1 completely unprepared.

1. Our support firstly provides a creche with four meals every day (breakfast, lunch, 2 snack times). This includes fruit and the best nutrition for the budget available as purchased and researched by Sizani Foods.
2. We equip the kitchens and provide gas for the stoves. Electricity is mostly unavailable or unaffordable.
3. Over time we also find sponsorship to upgrade the facilities. Fences provide security. Toilets where possible. Sometimes chemical toilets. Playground equipment or an extra classroom. The need varies from creche to creche. And every improvement helps to move the creche towards registration and a resulting subsidy from the government.

Impact of the programme

• Proper nutrition provided in a very important developmental phase.
• Providing security upgrades to keep children safe.
• Equipping of teachers to employ age-appropriate activities preparing children for school.
• Upgrading of facilities in whatever way local infrastructure allows.
• Developing the crèche owner’s business to a next level.

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3. Orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC)

Early in our journey with the schools, we discovered children who were in extremely desperate circumstances at home. It gave birth to our OVC Programme that now supports 125 families.

Teachers identify children in need of extra support. We investigate their circumstances and adopt those that qualify for the programme. The family is assigned to a volunteer who visits them once a month at home with a food delivery. This delivery contains enough food to sustain the whole family for a whole month.
A parent, grandparent or foster parent sign an agreement with us to make every effort to support the sponsored child in his or her studies. The sponsored child signs a similar agreement committing himself or herself to attend school faithfully and study hard. The school is made aware of our involvement and will often contact us if the child’s attendance slips or marks go down.

Over time our volunteers develop very strong relationships with the families they serve. They look at every report card and celebrate every bit of progress with the children. The result is a strong sense of the child’s potential and we now have a bursary programme that helps children further their studies or training after school.

Impact of the programme

• Children in the most difficult circumstances get food security, not just a handout every now and then.
• A partnership with teachers and the whole family keeps such a child motivated to study.
• We become part of the child’s extended family, providing motivation and support to do their best.

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We need to take care of our children!

It is not political. It is not some grand scheme to eradicate poverty. It is not to give back. It is not the current in-thing to do.
It is because tonight thousands of children will go to bed hungry. Not as a result of their choices or inaction. But because they are children in circumstances about which they can do nothing.

And as a result, they will grow less, learn less and hope less. And we will all be less…

Do whatever you can! Do everything you can!

@reonlouw

(All photos of the actual children we support as posted on our Facebook page. Permission obtained in writing from children, schools and parents.