We would highly recommend the Lunchbox Fund! Since the start of our partnership, we have seen the difference the nutrition support provides to the ECD centres and the young children they care for. The partnership with the Lunchbox Fund has been essential to providing a comprehensive and integrated support system to the ECD centres on the projects we run. The nutritional component of an ECD project is especially important given the current stunting statistics in South Africa – it is estimated that 27% of young children are stunted. In addition, for many young children in poor areas, the meal they receive at an ECD centre is often their only meal for the day. We continue to receive feedback from the project beneficiaries about the significant, positive impact of the nutrition support.
In the quest for creating a more equitable society in South Africa, initiatives like the partnership between Lunchbox Fund and Cotlands stand out as beacons of hope. Cotlands, dedicated to providing access to early learning opportunities for young children, has found a vital ally in Lunchbox Fund, which supplies nutritious meal supplies to the children in the early learning play groups.
The impact of this partnership extends far beyond the provision of meals. It is a testament to the understanding that a child's ability to learn and thrive is deeply intertwined with their physical well-being. By ensuring that these children have access to nutritious meals, Lunchbox Fund is not only addressing immediate hunger but also enabling them to engage more fully in the Cotlands play-based program.
The significance of partnerships like this cannot be overstated. It is not just about fulfilling basic needs; it's about empowering children to reach their full potential. A child who is not hungry is more likely to attend playgroups regularly, participate actively, and absorb the valuable lessons being offered. In essence, this collaboration is nurturing both minds and bodies, laying the foundation for a brighter future for vulnerable children in South Africa.
As someone who values initiatives aimed at creating a more equal society, I find the work of Lunchbox Fund and Cotlands to be truly inspiring. Their dedication to providing access to quality education and nutrition underscores the importance of collective action in addressing societal challenges. I wholeheartedly support their mission and commend them for the invaluable work they're doing for the good cause.
Nozizwe Dladla-Qwabe – COO Cotlands
Tshepang Educare Trust is based in Bethlehem -Eastern Free State. It is serving 12 communities through integrated programmes like Mobile ECD Playgroups and Family Community Motivator Playgroups. We provide ECD Programmes to almost 186 vulnerable children who live in farms and informal settlements in geographical area of Bethlehem. Every year before we start with playgroups, we do wellbeing assessments of learners to check their weight and their physical development in order to check whether they are developing according to their milestones. In 2022, the outcome was that 39 learners were found malnourished, but after using Lunchbox porridge, the number decreased to 9, we continued feeding the learners, in 2023, when the learners were measured again, they all showed that they are no longer malnourished but growing well. Because of Lunchbox now learners are participating in physical activities, they are able to concentrate during indoor activities, their cognitive skills have improved a lot and even those who went to schools, we are also keep tracking their performance and they are doing very well. The support of caregivers in playgroups has also increased. Through Lunchbox porridge, we were able to do 9703 feedings in 2023 to 12 communities with 186 children. We would like to show appreciation to Lunchbox Organisation by saying thank you very much by bringing difference in the lives of communities we are serving. Thank you for partnering with us to bring better future to our children. ' Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.......'
Since Lunchbox Fund came to our school there has been such a positive change in the general running of the school. Leonard Ntshuntshe is a high school that is located in the most needy area of Mpumalanga Province. The Socio-economic status of the area really calls for a third party to intervene. By general running of the school I mean there has been a positive shift in late coming of our learners as the porridge is served 45 minute before the start class contact time. All our learners love this breakfast and never want to miss it. Absenteeism is now a thing of the past. Focus in class has improved which contributes to improved learner performance in all grades.
We hold Camps for our 12th grade two weeks before the start of examination and this company has ensured that our school Camp gets assistance for the full 10 day Camp. Lunchbox Fund has gone beyond their call of duty to source for sponsors for the school to be able to buy fresh vegetables for our Camp.
The positive contribution to the life of an African child has impacted the general curriculum delivery.
With immense gratitude, Ntataise extends warm thanks to the Lunchbox Foundation for their steadfast support, providing over 3,000 meals a month to babies and young children over the past 4 years.
In witnessing the daily reality, we understand deeply that children flourish best when their tummies are full. Beyond mere sustenance, these meals spark a beautiful chain reaction of positivity in their lives.
The Lunchbox Foundation is feeding babies and children at our ECD centers, playgroups, as well as foundation phase children who participate in our 'Reading Hub' and it is through the gift of nourishing meals brimming with essential nutrients, that these little ones are empowered to tackle malnutrition head-on. This early investment in their well-being lays the groundwork for a bright academic journey, shaping the trajectory of their future with hope and promise.
We are truly grateful to the Lunchbox Foundation for all their assistance!
Puleng Motsoeneng
Programme Director & Government Liaison
Ntataise
We consider Lunchbox Fund as a critical partner in our Early Childhood Development Programme. Lunchbox Fund provides us with porridge consistently and continuously. Children in our programme love the porridge It is not only tasty but very nutritious. A lot of the children in our ECD programme come to school without any lunchbox and the porridge sometimes is the only food that the ECD practitioner has to offer to hungry and crying children. We are so grateful for our partnership with the Lunchbox Fund and we hope that they can continue to support our early learning programme for a long time to come.
It is truly wonderful to witness the impactful work done by The Lunchbox Fund in providing nutritious food products to vulnerable children at learning centers across South Africa. As a long-time client of our company, Sizani Foods, and by working closely with The Lunchbox Fund, we have had the privilege of witnessing first hand, the positive effects of The Lunchbox Fund's interventions on the lives of these children. Their ethical practices, efficiency, dedication, as well as their compassionate approach, set them apart as one of the most admirable organizations in the sector, and they are the type of feeding organization that all other similar organization should aspire to be. It has been a privilege and pleasure to support and collaborate with the Lunchbox Fund team over the last decade.
- Brian Moore, Director, Sizani Foods, South Africa
Since 2016, TLF has been providing us with much-needed nutrition support in our after-school and skills development programmes for out-of-school youth. They have helped us to expand and grow our education programmes and to reach more children outside of Cape Town and now we have extended our services to Eastern Cape Province. In 2016 our students expressed their appreciation through a song for TLF singing that 'they are now well-nourished, they love the food and were shining bright like the diamonds in the sky.' This song they created while they were eating this food demonstrates their happiness and deep appreciation. We have started welcoming six children in our foster care home and we hope TLF will expand their support to feed these children we are fostering.
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Over the past 4 years The Lunchbox Fund has helped us feed 480 children with daily meals. Their support has helped many children in our programme to thrive in their studies and to sleep with a full tummy, most of our children come from homes where there is little or no food. We are truly grateful for their ongoing support!
The Lunchbox Fund and the Anna Foundation have had a fruitful partnership for many years. Through this partnership, we are able to provide our learners with daily nutritional meals. For so many of the underprivileged farm children at our after-schools, these meals are their primary source of nutrition for the day. We are grateful for the Lunchbox Fund and their support!
Imagine a child, tummy rumbling, struggling to focus in class. Their mind wanders, not to lessons, but to the gnawing emptiness within. But for over 4,000 children, thanks to Lunchbox Fund’s incredible partnership with LETCEE, this story is rewritten. Every day, a warm bowl of porridge arrives, a beacon of hope and nourishment.
The dedication of Lunchbox staff isn't just impressive, it's life-changing. They understand that a full stomach is the foundation for learning, for play, for unleashing a child's potential. It's evident in the ECD centres, the Toy Libraries, the playgroups – wherever their support reaches. The smiles tell the story: brighter, healthier, happier children, ready to embrace their future.
-Astrid Gifford, Director of Operations, LETCEE, Greytown KZN, South Africa-
Khanimamba Training and Resource Centre is an NPO in South Africa, in Limpopo Province. The organisation work in the rural areas of Limpopo. Our mandate is to increase assess to rural communities who are not receiving ECD services. We run non centre based programme in Home Visiting ECD Service, Playgroups, ECD Mobile and the centre based programme in ECD sites. In the centre based programme children pay a monthly tuition fee of R150.00 per month and these centres are not funded, these fees are the only source of income. The children in the non centre based programme are not paying anything because their parents or caregivers cannot afford to pay as they are not employed an mostly depend on child support grant which is R510 from Department of Social Development. Children in these programme are usually malnourished. Through the contribution of meals from Lunchbox we have seen considerable health improvements in these children. As we visit their villages twice a week we have noted that children make sure that they do not miss this visit in order to receive their bowl of meal. We have realised that even the older once they miss their school day to wait for the bowl of meal and this is heart breaking. We are so grateful to Lunchbox's help. If we could have enough to at serve them one meal a day vs twice a week. L
We are an NGO called The VUSA Rugby And Learning Academy. We are based in Langa. We give mentorship opportunities to children, through Sports, Academics, Art & Culture, Recreational Outings, and a feeding scheme.
This is where the Lunchbox Fund plays a vital role in our program. They deliver nutritious meals to us on a monthly basis in order for us to be able to feed our kids on a daily basis. We feed over 150 kids on a daily basis through their support. For a lot of these kids this is the only nutritious meal they get from the Lunchbox Fund.
90% of the children come from very challenging backgrounds without an income. So food becomes a huge challenge. With the lunchbox fund we are able to feed these kids and take off some pressure off their families .
We see the children's development in terms of body physic, mental health through the lunchbox fund meals.
I wrote to Lunchbox at the beginning of the year that our children came back from the December break having lost a lot of weight. That speaks volumes about the type of food that Lunbox provides our kids with. We are now seeing the smiles and the potential growth in our children through the Lunchbox Fund.
We hope this partnership will continue for many years to come.
www.vusarugbyacademy.com
•With nutrition and Food security programme priority, all playgroup children have been provided with daily pre -packaged nutritious snack, as well as a bowl of high-quality fortified porridge each morning through our partnership with the Lunch Box Fund. All thanks to lunch box fund we are able to provide more 2000 children annually directly through our playgroup programme and indirectly through existing ECD Centres.Lunchbox Fund is always visiting site to ensure that we are serving as per our agreement, we are also grateful with the visit even from CEO herself Me. Sue.
I am Sma Sokhela of Pietermaritzburg Community Chest. We have 2452 children in 36 ECD centres spread across uMgungundlovu District. This District consist of 7 municipalities that are in rural poor communities. Our children come from homes that are poverty-stricken and only depend of social grants. Some are orphaned due to HIV/Aids and taking ARVs. For the most children meals at school are the only meals they have in a day.
The Lunchbox Fund has been very instrumental in assisting with their meals. Children are nourished, bright, active and are achieving great results. This is evidence that their meals are nutritious. There is an increase in the number of children enrolled in our ECDs. There is a decrease in absenteeism. There is a decrease in sicknesses like flu as well.
The Lunchbox Fund team does not only give meals but they visit all these ECDs to check if the meals they provide are served to children in the correct way.
We are so grateful with our partnership with The Lunchbox Fund South Africa and we wish for the continued support.
I'm delighted to share that, as a Surfer Kids and Bitcoin Ekasi team member, our organization has been consistently receiving nutritious food from Lunchbox Fund for over 50 children. The provided menus and serving suggestions have greatly contributed to the well-being of these kids, and we're grateful for the sustained support over the years.