NGOs are offering food and other provisions to families in need after the Sunday Times exposed the plight of many hungry and desperate children.
According to figures supplied to parliament, 2,818 children under the age of five have died of malnutrition in hospitals in the past three years.
The story last month revealed that hunger is killing rising numbers of children in SA, with at least 199 under the age of five dying of malnutrition in the first two months of this year alone.
Families hit hard by Covid-19 lockdowns and poverty are battling to put food on the table, with KwaZulu-Natal experiencing much of the pain.
Experts say the situation is likely to get worse as more people sink into poverty as an economic upturn soon appears unlikely. With interest rates set to rise and the continuing war in Ukraine, a major grain exporter, experts are predicting steeper prices and even more hardship.
The story revealed that children in Matikwe, north of Durban, were resorting to eating sand to quell their hunger.
After the article, Meals on Wheels, an NPO that provides poverty-hit communities with nutritious meals and food security, has started providing aid to Matikwe. The organisation’s Camy-Lee Jerome said: “We are providing fresh produce and ingredients for cooking wholesome, hot meals to our branch in the region.
“We have been receiving donations of non-perishable food as well, which we are redirecting to the Harambe Mouths branch. They are preparing the meals and distributing them to those in need there.
“Hot cooked meals, box juices and baby formula have been distributed in Matikwe.”
Jerome described children eating sand as “absolutely devastating”.
“We wanted to have a quick response and get food out as soon as possible.”
Clint McLean, who runs aid organisation Ubuntu Army which established a relationship with the community when they started providing food aid a while ago, said: “As a result of the Sunday Times article I have been inundated with calls to help the community. Ubuntu Army has committed to a weekly fresh vegetable drop to the creche along with a huge container of stuff that has been donated from Australia.
“It’s an incredibly telling indicator that people are willing to help.”
NGO ForAfrika has also stepped in.
Ivan Krishna, community development officer in KwaZulu-Natal, said: “Our first step, in this case, would be to contact the other organisations working in the area, the health department and relevant community structures. This would be followed by a scientific assessment of the needs.
“In SA we work with preschools or home-based day care centres. Once registered with us, we provide them with corn, soya and sugar blend, fortified with vitamins and minerals that give a child 75% of their required daily nutritional intake to ensure proper growth and development.
“I think it is important to stress that there is no quick fix to malnutrition. Yes, we can provide emergency feeding but this is not sustainable. Essentially, there needs to be a long-term, multifaceted approach that includes education about nutrition, sanitation and hygiene, deworming — since these are inextricably linked.”
NGOs are not the only ones coming forward, individuals are also pitching in. A single mom from Soweto, who asked for anonymity, and her retired mother have also offered their help.
“We are not wealthy but I feed my child formula milk and my child has never slept without food. I am just an ordinary person but together with the church we can help get some food and warm clothes for these children.”
Johannesburg-based investment company Siyanda Resources will be visiting the community of Jozini in northern KwaZulu-Natal to offer help, said the company’s project assistant for corporate social investment, Ziyanda Mdletshe.
They will work through a local NGO, Siyaphambili Qondile.
“We are looking to sponsor as many nutrition packs as possible, with the possibility of starting soup kitchens in the area,” said Mdletshe.
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