The Lunchbox Fund
Proudly supported by RED DELI
The Lunchbox Fund helps vulnerable and food-insecure children in South Africa get the education they desperately need to build a life free of poverty.
We provide a nutritious daily school meal to children who would otherwise go hungry. This meal encourages children to attend school and enables them to concentrate and learn while they are there. Children are supported at all stages of their education – from pre-school, through to primary and secondary school and after-school programs.
33%
SA children under 6 live
below the food poverty line
80%
of the poorest children
have no access to educare
90%
of children in the poorest
schools present as school unready in Grade One
50%
of children who start
Grade One never finish school
1
meal costs only
$0.21 / R3.00 / £0.21
Malnutrition means more than stunting, wasting or being underweight. It can mean obesity and micronutrient (such as vitamin and mineral) deficiencies as well.
Increasingly we are seeing food high in sugars, processed carbohydrates and fats, but low in micro-nutrients, becoming more affordable and available. The consumption of these ‘globalised’ foods among the poor is resulting in overweight and obesity occurring alongside stunting.
Micronutrient deficiencies can occur in children who are not necessarily hungry, but whose diets are of low nutrient quality, or which lack dietary diversity. This is often referred to as a ‘hidden hunger’ and can have serious impacts on education and health by reducing children’s learning ability, impairing development, and reducing immunity.
Our programme is designed to offer a school meal high in protein and fortified with micronutrients to combat all aspects of malnutrition.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Nutritional Deficiencies
Nutritional Deficiencies
Nutritional Deficiencies
Nutritional Deficiencies
Why Nutrition
School nutrition facilitates a child’s ability to learn and supports their promise of reaching the full potential as adults. Less than 50% of children who start school in Grade 1 in South Africa make it through Grade 12.
Hunger, poverty and lack of access to effective education means that millions of caregivers are unable to provide for their children’s healthy development and education. Around 12 million children in South Africa live below the poverty line, and 4.4 million households in South Africa do not have frequent, reliable access to food.
A guaranteed meal served at school enables children to develop, grow and learn in a safe and stimulating environment, and prepares them to receive a formal education. When a child stays in school, their ability to generate future income and build a livelihood is increased. Through interactions with teachers, fellow-students and food preparers, the child also stays connected, cared for and involved.