When hunger prevents education
Nationwide, 62% of children in South Africa experience multidimensional poverty with poor nutrition, inadequate education and an unstable family environment (Statistics South Africa, 2020). Almost a fifth of children can only eat one meal a day (UNICEF, 2024). This has a direct impact on their ability to learn: Hunger leads to gaps in education, prevents children from successfully completing school and thus prevents them from having the opportunity to start an apprenticeship. The consequences are a lack of vocational qualifications, insufficient qualifications for the labor market and lower income opportunities, as well as a higher risk of illness.
Project location Kewtown - Where children grow up in uncertainty
Kewtown, a township (informal settlement) on the outskirts of Cape Town, reflects many of these problems in a particularly concentrated form. The children here grow up in an environment characterized by poverty, violence and a lack of prospects. Our local project partner "New Dawn" recognized the plight of the children many years ago:
"Many parents are unemployed and most homes are overcrowded. Parents cannot afford to send their children to daycare or school. The children are exposed to gang violence, drug abuse and domestic violence on a daily basis. When we saw most of them going to school hungry and toddlers playing in muddy water without adult supervision, we realized we had to do something."
What we do - securing education, nutrition and health
Our approach is long-term and sustainable. Every measure is aimed at opening up long-term prospects for children and breaking the cycle of poverty, violence and hopelessness.
Our focus:
- Nutrition as the basis for education: Five times a week, the children's day begins with a warm, nutritious breakfast. Those who are full can learn, concentrate and be agile. They have the strength to cope with the school day.
- Afternoon care and learning support: homework help, reading support and learning through play help to close gaps. Creative activities such as dance, music and art strengthen self-confidence and social skills.
- Life skills and values: Programs such as Girl Talk or conflict training promote resilience and support children in important questions about friendship, relationships, violence prevention and dreams for the future.
- Family work: Where possible, parents and caregivers are also involved. Through parenting courses, discussions and advice, new perspectives are slowly emerging for complete families.
Long-term effect:
- More and more children are attending school regularly, are more focused, more agile, healthier and achieve better learning results.
- In the parents' groups, parents develop new self-confidence and better parenting skills and pass this change on to their children. The results are less verbal, physical and psychological violence and more trust, security and safety.
A sponsorship program for Kewtown
As ora Kinderhilfe, we have started a sponsorship program with New Dawn to provide regular care for the children. The participating children receive healthy food, clothing and school materials. Medical care is also provided. In order to be able to offer this basic provision to other children and their families, sponsors are needed. Your regular donation ensures the expansion of the projects and means our project partners can plan ahead. Together, we can give the children real and positive prospects for the future.
This project makes a real difference to children's lives. A hot breakfast may seem small - but for a child in Kewtown, it is often the first step towards a future that is no longer characterized by mere survival, but by hope - and that is exactly what you can make possible.
Our project partner: "New Dawn"
Since 2022, we have been supporting our partner New Dawn in their important work in the Kewtown neighborhood, which they have been doing lovingly and conscientiously since 2008: In the morning before school starts, they distribute nutritious breakfasts to almost 150 children and use their premises to provide the children with socio-educational support, as well as involving parents as required and willing.
The small project is run as a registered NGO by Kathleen and Jennifer, who recognized the urgent need for a sustainable concept to ensure nutrition and education for the children of Kewtown more than 17 years ago. Together with their team, they take on various roles in the neighborhood: they are social workers, educators, community workers, caregivers for the children and much more.
Like ora Kinderhilfe, New Dawn's way of working is personal, close and authentic. Their transparent and humane approach enjoys our complete trust. We know them personally and have visited the project on site.
With your sponsorship or donation, ensure that New Dawn can support the children in Kewtown in the long term and expand its project!
Take action now - how you can help!
There are various ways to support our project work and the children in Kewtown.
Sponsorships are the most sustainable form of support: Through your monthly donation, our project partners can rely on continuity and thus ensure holistic support for the child, their family and neighborhood. Your sponsorship ensures that your sponsored child and their siblings receive a nutritious and regular breakfast, can attend school and go to the doctor if they fall ill.
An individual donation also contributes to long-term success and ensures unmet needs! We at ora Kinderhilfe are in close contact with our project partner New Dawn and do everything in our power to meet their needs.
