Nutrition – When you are hungry nothing else matters

The vast majority of children and families in Nkandla do not have enough to eat and are struggling to get through today. The Africa Project supports efforts to bring food aid to children and families in need on a regular basis, until more sustainable solutions are found. The Africa Project is particularly interested in supporting food aid for child-headed* families and to those in treatment for HIV/AIDS and/or TB since good nutrition is critical.

Clinical Nutrition: Children affected by malnutrition and anyone receiving treatment for HIV are in need of extra nutritional support, including foods that are high in proteins. The Africa Project supports efforts to bring clinical nutrition to those in need.

Garden Projects: The development and implementation of gardens help ensure that children and families have enough food to meet their basic needs. However, these are not one time efforts. Maintaining a garden is difficult in the best of circumstances but in Nkandla, the challenges families face are daunting. Consider the fact that most families do not have water at their homestead and must travel great distances, carrying the water up from deep valleys. Plus, in many cases the adult at home is too sick to tend to a garden on his or her own. Supporting these efforts can really make a difference and the outcome is better nutrition for all.

• One Home, One Garden – SOP is working to ensure that the families they serve have a vegetable garden. Gardens provide needed food for the family and some of the vegetables may be sold and the proceeds used to purchase other food items or basic needs like candles.
• School Gardens - Teaching children how to grow healthy nutritious food is an important effort in Nkandla. This is especially true since many parents are either too sick to manage a garden themselves or have passed away.
• Demonstration Garden - Two students in Nkandla, Sphesihle and Ndumiso, have built a demonstration garden and are organizing education programs to teach elementary school aged children about gardening. They are partnering with SOP and local school principals to install school gardens and provide training in organic gardening.