Number of beneficiaries
THE NEED
The Poverty Trends Report of 2017 by Statistics South Africa reveals the prevalence of social exclusion. In 2015, 13.8 million South Africans were living below the food poverty line. Measures by population group showed Black African and Coloured populations making up the greatest percentage of these national figures; and a further dissection into age indicates that children and youth, those within the 0 to 17 year band, carry the highest poverty burden at 43.2%.
THE CONSEQUENCE
Physical and emotional well-being and access to educational opportunities are critical areas of childhood development impacted by hunger. The short and long term ramifications for poor children in the learning environment include a lack of focus and energy, irritability, illness, absenteeism, reduced ability to retain knowledge as well as general decrease in a child’s capacity to fully engage with class activities. The cumulative effect of this has a negative impact on performance and their ability to progress through grade levels, a contributing factor to the poverty cycle and economic exclusion.
THE ANSWER
Every child needs regular balanced nutrition across all food groups
– protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Our food gardens bolster the breakfasts and lunches served at projects.
Daily meals provide an incentive to attend school, and help children to focus on their studies. As an individual, a family, a group, a club, or a company, you can help to provide this essential nutrition, thereby growing an educated, healthy, and winning generation. Investing in a kitchen, food garden or both means children will reap its benefit today and for as long as they attend the centre of learning. Moreover, our training will ensure that the impact is continuously felt by those who are enrolled year after year reducing the cost of investment per child and increasing your return.
“If we can conquer space, we can conquer childhood hunger.” –Buzz Aldrin
WHICH PROJECTS?
We serve schools and early learning centres situated in the Western Cape in communities that struggle to meet their basic needs.
Where the need exists; households as well as schools require support in feeding hungry and malnourished learners. The Sprightly Seed has a list of these schools and early learning centres to choose from. Alternatively, if you have a project that could use our product and service support, we will be happy to screen them and implement based on their requirements.
WHICH CHILDREN?
In ECD primary and high school contexts, the yield from the food garden goes into the existing feeding programme.
This is available to children who qualify and are identified for us by the principal and teachers at each school. Indicators are, 1)known family poverty, 2) fainting in class, 3) no packed lunches, 4) lack of concentration, 5) poor quality of school work and, 6) disruptive behaviour.
This is different for early childhood development centres where all children receive a breakfast and lunch and all children benefit from what comes from the garden.
