While families across South Africa prepare for the festive season and back-to-school shopping, thousands of preschool children face a heartbreaking reality: they'll walk into Grade 1 classrooms in just six weeks, but they won't be ready – not because they lack potential, but because chronic malnutrition has robbed them of the cognitive development, physical strength, and concentration needed to learn.
More than 1.5 million children under five in South Africa – one in four – are stunted due to chronic undernutrition, a crisis that creates lasting developmental scars. The first 1,000 days of a child's life are the most critical window for brain development, yet for two decades, South Africa has failed to lower its stunting rate.
With South Africa's school-age population expected to continue growing until at least 2030, and with near-universal school attendance rates above 98% in recent years, hundreds of thousands of children will enter formal education in January 2026. But for many, starting school will mean starting behind.
The hidden crisis affecting school readiness
"When most learners commenced their education at our preschool, their physical condition was frail, and many were undernourished," says Monica November, Principal of Hope of Africa Preschool in Delft. "Academically, their progress was sluggish. However, once we implemented nutritional meals through Ladles of Love, the transformation was remarkable."
Hope of Africa has been part of Ladles of Love's Nourish Our Children Programme for two years. The results tell a powerful story: substantial increases in weight and height, flourishing academic development, soaring attendance rates, fewer illnesses, improved cognitive function, and increased confidence.
"Today, these learners are preparing for graduation – truly ready for Grade 1," says November.
The growing scale of child food poverty
Twenty-three percent of South African children live in severe child food poverty and are at risk of life-threatening malnutrition, according to Unicef. Nearly 40% of children under six now live in households below the food poverty line, and 500,000 more children are at serious risk of malnutrition than before Covid-19.
A staggering 15,000 children required hospitalisation due to severe acute malnutrition in 2022/23 alone – representing a 33% increase in severe malnutrition cases between 2020 and 2023.
The consequences extend far beyond the present. Stunted children are more likely to start school with developmental delays, perform poorly academically, and face higher unemployment rates as adults.
A proven solution: Early learning programmes that feed
Children attending Early Learning Programmes show significantly lower stunting rates (just 5.7%) compared to the general population (15.6%), proving that these programmes are critical access points for nutrition and health services, with 90% providing at least one daily meal.
"The difference between a child who's ready for Grade 1 and one who isn't often comes down to something as simple - yet vital - as a meal," says Yolanda Jones, Programme Manager at Ladles of Love. "School readiness isn't about new uniforms or backpacks – it's about whether a child's brain has been properly nourished to support focus, memory and healthy growth - these are the real foundations for learning.
It's Christmastime: The campaign that changes futures
Ladles of Love currently reaches 9,000 preschool children and their teachers daily across Western Cape, Northern Cape, and Gauteng – but funding remains critically uncertain. With only limited grant funding, 625 monthly donors, and 35 corporate partners currently supporting the programme, thousands of these children face the real possibility of losing their daily meals.
This festive season, Ladles of Love is launching an urgent campaign to secure sustainable funding for all 12,000 children who need support – including the 9,000 already being served and an additional 3,000 vulnerable children waiting to access the programme before the 2026 school year begins.
"We're feeding 9,000 children today, but we're doing it without guaranteed funding for most of them," says Danny Diliberto, Founder of Ladles of Love. "At the same time, we have 3,000 more children in desperate need who could start Grade 1 ready to learn if we can reach them now. Every single one of these 12,000 children needs a committed sponsor."
Why feeding teachers matters too
In a unique approach, Ladles of Love feeds both children and their teachers in under-resourced preschools – recognising that many educators in low-income communities are also food insecure.
"When teachers are well-fed, their focus, energy and resilience improve - and that directly impacts how children learn. says Yolanda Jones, Programme Manager at Ladles of Love. "A hungry teacher can't teach or inspire hungry children. When we feed both, entire classrooms become calmer, more engaged, and more productive."
The campaign, "It's Christmastime: Ready for Grade 1," asks South Africans to give the greatest gift: R300 per month to provide two nutritious meals daily for one child throughout 2026.
The January deadline
With 60.2% of children aged 0-4 attending early childhood development programmes in 2022 – up dramatically from just 12.2% in 2001, South Africa has made significant strides in ECD access. However, nearly 40% of two-year-olds and 26.5% of three-year-olds still don't attend any ECD facility, missing critical developmental windows.
"The 2026 school year begins in six weeks," says Jones. "For these children to be ready for Grade 1 in 2027 and beyond, they need proper nutrition now – and they need it consistently throughout the year. Brain development doesn't wait for fundraising cycles, and it doesn't stop when temporary funding runs out."
How South Africans can help
Individual donors: R300 per month provides daily nutritious meals for one child throughout 2026, preparing them for their entire educational journey.
Corporate partners: Businesses can pair with a preschool, providing meals for every child and teacher, creating measurable community impact with proven results.
The goal:
- Increase monthly donors from 625 to 1,375 (750 new supporters needed) to secure sustainable funding for current and new beneficiaries
- Increase corporate preschool partnerships from 35 to 100 (65 new partners needed)
- Feed 12,000 children daily throughout 2026 with reliable, consistent funding
"This Christmas, we're asking South Africans to look beyond wrapped presents and give the gift that truly changes lives – a fair start for a child who deserves to thrive," says Danny Diliberto. "Right now, we're feeding 9,000 children, but we're doing it on a prayer. We need sustainable support for every child we're already serving, plus the 3,000 more who are waiting. For every child you feed, you secure a future for all our children."
The statistics that matter:
- 1 in 4 South African children under 5 is stunted due to chronic malnutrition
- 23% of children live in severe child food poverty
- 40% of children under 6 live below the food poverty line
- 15,000 children hospitalised for severe acute malnutrition in 2022/23
- Children in Early Learning Programmes with feeding: 5.7% stunting rate vs. 15.6% general population
- Nearly 1 million children expected to be in primary education system as population grows
The Christmas message:
Its' Christmastime and the season of giving. 12,000 Small children need nutrition to support their preschool education. Their gifts don't need wrapping, they need a monthly donation of R300.
Healthy food every day to a child in need is the greatest gift of all.
For every child we feed, we secure a future for all our children.
