Malnutrition impacts a child’s development and impairs their ability to give attention to their schoolwork. The Mustadafin Foundation has been working with schools in under-resourced communities for 36 years, providing children with access to vital educational resources. In recognition of Human Rights Day, Mustadafin director, Ghairunisa Johnstone-Cassiem, shines a light on the importance of including feeding programmes in under-resourced schools and education support programmes.
“Children at risk of hunger are less equipped to reach their full potential. We have noticed this at our Learning Centre where many of the children that enter, simply cannot focus on schoolwork because they are thinking about their next meal and wondering where it might come from,” says Johnstone-Cassiem
To support the development of these children and to ensure their fruitful school journey, Mustadafin started providing three daily meals at its Learning Centre to 56 children, aged 6 to 16 years old.
“Malnutrition, which is unfortunately experienced in many communities, impacts a child’s immune system due to a lack of intake of vital nutrients,” says Johnstone-Cassiem. “Malnutrition also stunts cognitive and physical development.”
Mustadafin’s feeding programmes that have been set up at various schools in the Western Cape and at the Learning Centre in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, aims to enhance the learning capacity of children through the provision of a healthy meal. “We have found that once children have access to nutritional food, punctuality, regular class attendance, concentration and the general mental wellbeing significantly improves.”
Over the next year, Mustadafin is aiming to enrol 40 children in their Learning Centre, with 20 children progressing into mainstream school.
“To help us achieve this we encourage you to think about food as a basic human right and how you can make a big difference in a child’s life,” says Johnstone-Cassiem. Monthly donors and sponsorship go towards providing food and ingredients that will feed school children on a daily basis.