National Children’s Day, celebrated on the first Saturday of November in South Africa, aims to highlight progress towards realising and promoting children’s rights. To develop properly, mentally and physically, people require nutritional food in the correct proportions. Thus, for children, in particular, the right to access nutritional food is very important.
Good nutrition aids in a better ability to concentrate and, therefore, promotes better performance at school. To help create stronger food systems in Mpumalanga, Super Sun partnered with Food & Trees for Africa to plant vegetable gardens, share nutrition information, and conduct school feeding scheme donations at various primary schools in the province.
“National Children’s Day reminds us of the importance of our actions today affecting the outlook of our tomorrow. Young children who aren’t getting the necessary nutrition required to perform well at school need to be better supported,” says Sibongile Mooko, Marketing Executive at Premier FMCG. “Nutritious and well-balanced meals promote good health and a strong immune system. Taking action together with Food & Trees for Africa, we conducted roadshows at nine different schools in the province to educate young learners on the importance of a balanced meal.”
The roadshow took place over a week, and events were held at different primary schools in the province. Over the past three months, just under 24 000 meals have been distributed to these schools. During the roadshow, 7 953 learners received Super Sun instant porridge mixed with milk (the maize-based porridge mixes instantly with hot or cold water or milk) and fruit. Packed with vitamins and minerals and high in energy, the porridge helps young children significantly improve their ability to concentrate and maintain their productivity at school.
“From a young age, children should be taught how to dish up a balanced meal. This should consist of the three main food groups: protein, fruits and vegetables, and starch which is predominantly filled with vitamins and minerals,” says local dietitian, Ria Tintswalo.
With the assistance of Tintswalo, an activity was created to educate learners on the portions of these food groups during the roadshow. Together with a catchy song, the food group gestures helped teach learners about the food groups and how to have a balanced meal. The gestures include a fistful of proteins, a handful of fortified starch, and two handfuls of fruit and vegetables. “It was great to hear the learners continue to sing the song even after we presented,” says Mooko.
As part of the same initiative, seven schools, namely Hlamalani Primary School and Esselman Primary School in Bushbuckridge, Saile Primary School and Nkothasi Primary School in Dwarsloop, Floraphophe Primary School and Humulani Primary School in Thulamahashe and Chayiwe Primary School in Acornhoek, also received a Super-Sun-sponsored vegetable garden. The schools were provided with gardening tools, seeds, seedlings, compost, educational materials, and an introductory workshop during which they were taught how to grow and maintain their new gardens.
“It’s essential that learners have access to healthy and nutritious food. School food gardens and Super Sun’s instant porridge are two of the best ways to supplement meals for learners,” says Robyn Hills, Head of Programmes at Food & Trees for Africa. “After nearly 30 years of experience, we understand what it takes to achieve real, long-term sustainability. We want to address food security, environmental stability and greening for a brighter future through these kinds of initiatives,” she adds.
The combination of climate and soil makes the northern parts of South Africa, particularly Mpumalanga, very conducive to growing crops. By growing vegetables in school gardens, learners will have an unlimited supply of fresh vegetables to complement their meals, providing them with the nutrients needed for a healthy diet. This is both affordable and sustainable for the South African school feeding system.
“Our partnership with Food & Trees for Africa was a natural fit. We both believe that knowledge is power, and we want to teach children about nutrition and why it is important,” concludes Mooko.
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