StartWell Foundation NPC

28.8% of all children under 5 years old in South Africa are stunted – with chronic malnutrition as the leading cause. (National Food and Nutrition Security Survey South Africa – 2024; World Health Organization). Every stunted child suffers permanent physical and cognitive impairments that severely limit the child’s ability to learn, participate and contribute to society and the economy. Child stunting is regarded as one of the key drivers of multi-generational cycles of poverty. This is, however, a preventable phenomenon. We are committed to identifying the root causes of child stunting in our country and to implementing targeted interventions to prevent and reverse them. Our Vision: To eliminate child stunting in South Africa. Our Mission: • Design, supply and produce nutrient-dense, ready-to-eat meals with a focus on bio-available proteins to growing babies, infants and children exposed to chronic malnutrition. • To educate all stakeholders about the critical importance of daily access to bio-available proteins for a growing baby, infant and child. Strategy: --> We direct our resources to where it have the most significant impact. --> We provide daily meals that contain the essential ‘growth nutrients’, specifically bio-available proteins, to babies, infants and toddlers in Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centers. --> We perform growth-tracking in line with the WHO guidelines to identify any areas that need focussed intervention. --> We campaign about the importance of daily access to bio-available proteins for child development. This differentiates us from feeding schemes that provide soya-based meals.