hollard insurence and hollard foundation trust- ecd nutritional feeding of children funding...

Sustainability is a practice of working together as stakeholders to achieve outputs

Hollard CSI and Hollard Foundation Trust - Funding Proposal and Application 2017and beyond

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”- Albert Einstein.


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Food Aid is needed year after year. Current practice in the food chain is focused on yield, brand and stomach filling. This leaves everyone, rich and poor, with “hidden hunger” through micronutrient deficiencies.

Huge health problems have resulted globally. (Obesity, diabetes, depression…) In Africa, ill health and poverty go hand in hand and unnecessary suffering is unwittingly perpetuated.

This is a call to create nutrient replete human beings, who are physiologically functional – better prepared to learn, solve problems and build winning communities. Political, corporate and donor interventions would be more effective working with nutrient replete, functional and sustainable communities.



The focus on nutrient replete children means that those children can learn even under a tree.

If South Africa had ten Einstein’s, they could hardly develop to potential as long as the majority of our children remain micronutrient deficient.

The facts speak for themselves; 45% of our children remain vitamin A deficient, 25% are born stunted while 40% of children under the age of 6 years suffer iron deficiency anemia. In a mature economy, statistics such as these would precipitate a national emergency! e’Pap, a home grown African solution, is a practical, effective nutritional intervention that helps address the “hidden hunger”.

Most important, this simple, easy to use product presents a practical cost effective way to deliver many important nutrients found in a healthy well balanced diet.

Making student’s nutrient replete will help address many challenges in our schools. There are links between nutritional status and violent behavior to a lack of academic



performance. Falling asleep at 9.00am in school, fatigue, a lack of concentration, ADD and low academic performance all have links to a compromised nutritional status.

These are challenges that can be addressed with an effective nutritional intervention such as e’Pap. Thirteen years ago a product appeared in the South African market place that quickly became known as “Miracle Pap”. This pre-cooked porridge branded as e’Pap, preserves the innate nutrients found in full grain cereal. e’Pap is fortified with 28 nutrients designed to maximize absorption to the body.

The state of the art American technology used in e’Pap mimics nutrients in a “food state” form. The formulation behind e’Pap focuses on achieving a condition of nutrient repleteness in which the body can perform optimally.

What sets e’Pap apart from current mainstream approaches to fortification is the importance of nutrient form in relation to what gets absorbed to the body. When some nutrient forms have as little as 2% biological absorption, this becomes an important issue in the quest for “nutrient repleteness.” The key issue is not just what is declared on the label but more important - what gets biologically absorbed to the body.

The e’Pap formulation objective is to reverse the consequences that result from a sterile food chain. This hidden hunger is different from a lack of food. It is a chronic lack of vitamins and minerals. Hidden Hunger is potentially devastating and can lead to mental impairment, poor health, low productivity, and death. One in three people in the world suffer from hidden hunger. Poverty-stricken women and children in developing countries are the most affected. In 2000, e’Pap recognized the significance of hidden hunger and set out to address micro nutrient deficiencies. The daily meal portion promotes the objective of nutrient replete, physiologically functional human beings.

Nutrient replete children can learn, concentrate and are able to realize their full potential. It is these nutrient replete children who will in the future be able to find their own solutions to the health and poverty challenges affecting our world. E’Pap is now used in 15 African countries, providing up to two million food portions a month.

The word of mouth impact, referred to as the “5 day e’Pap effect”, has been clinically evaluated in various studies, as far afield as Benin. A clinical trial conducted by Wits Medical School on young children has been internationally published (PLOS ONE). It explains the extensive positive feedback from across the continent.

It is the micronutrients that have “fallen through the cracks” in school feeding programs. Sterile ‘stomach filling’ leaves children deficient in many important nutrients and unable to concentrate. Nutrient deficiencies mean brains will not develop optimally to full potential. It is rather like trying to drive a one-ton Mercedes Benz without 2 grams of air in the tires. Bodies that are not nutrient replete in the most important nutrients, like iron and zinc as well as the many other critical vitamins, means teachers are doomed to fight a losing battle.



Trying to educate nutrient deficient, dysfunctional children is rather like trying to improve performance of Olympic runners without enough oxygen. A part solution to nutritional repleteness is about as useful as a single bucket of water when your house is burning.As a social entrepreneur program, e’Pap has been internationally recognized by Ashoka, a Washington based NGO. The e’Pap program has been selected as a semi-finalist by the Swiss based Schwab Foundation for their 2014 social entrepreneur award. Should e’Pap win, e’Pap Technologies will have the opportunity to share their unique approach to making malnourished people nutrient replete with World leaders at the next World Economic Forum in Davos.

“It will take a conscientious and well informed collective effort of all stakeholders to ensure we do this right to secure the future for the generation’s we create”

Contact Person: Growth Path Foundation in Partnership with e papContact Persons: - Education and Investment, funding of Distribution and establishment of small - medium enterprise development opportunities.

Eduard Ellis Growth Path Foundation - NPC 2016/263765/08)Eduard Ellis - Director Business and Programme Development – Fundraising0846715490



Fore - Warning

The human species has a serious problem. Our compromised food chain (hidden hunger) will result in our extinction way before global warming destroys our planet. The fragility of the human species, the egos, the greed and the quest to control, seem to be priorities over and above the cost of its own survival.

Africa’s present population is now at a billion souls and is predicted to double in the next 30 years. Current approaches to address poverty, health, food security and sustainable development cannot address the challenges created by such a huge increase in populations. A tsunami of poor impoverished people with no hope and nothing to lose is the inevitable result. Don’t imagine that this will not affect you. We must act now to make healthy sustainable communities made up of “nutrient replete” human beings.

There are commercial and political interests that have articulated positions which argue: we do not need these populations, so why be involved? For us, this is an untenable future of contrived wastelands for the poor and fenced off zones for the privileged. History shows Africa’s present population is now at a billion souls and is predicted to double in the next 30 years. Current approaches to address poverty, health, food security and sustainable development cannot address the challenges created by such a huge increase in populations. A tsunami of poor impoverished people with no hope and nothing to lose is the inevitable result. Don’t imagine that this will not affect you. We must act now to make healthy sustainable communities made up of “nutrient replete” human beings. That in such societal breakdown there are no winners. There are cost effective ways to redress the fundamental problems.

Micronutrient deficiencies (hidden hunger) caused by a compromised food chain are creating a social and health crisis across the world in both rich and poor nations. Current and future health challenges such as depression, obesity and diabetes all have direct links to “hidden hunger”. The US currently experiences a trillion dollar health liability that has its origins in the compromised food chain.

The consequences of the same problem (a compromised food chain) are well known in Africa. A quarter of babies in South Africa are born stunted. 45% suffer Vitamin A deficiency. 65% of the South African populations are now defined as obese and diabetes is now impacting the majority of communities. Similar problems are seen across the continent.

A condition of nutrient repleteness is the key to making healthy, physiologically functional, human beings. In this condition, people can participate and take responsibility for their own solutions to health and poverty challenges’



So what has differentiated the e’Pap approach?

The key issue in the e’Pap approach is the formulation objective to create a nutrient replete human being. To achieve this objective, the important issue becomes a focus on what is biologically absorbed. To better understand what differentiates e’Pap, one needs to understand what “mainstream nutrition” is doing in trying to reverse the damage caused by a compromised food chain.

Current approaches become part solutions because low bioavailable chemical nutrients are used to fortify products. These products are not formulated with nutrient repleteness in mind. These approaches fill the stomach but can leave the person with a nutrient deficient status. It led us to understand that what is important is, not just what was added to the food (label claim). More important was the question of what gets biologically absorbed?

Bio-availability and nutrient form dictate the bio efficacy of nutrients. This is a key issue in the formulation to create nutrient repleteness. It is well known, that some nutrient forms can have a biological absorption as low as 2%. When combined with the wrong form of nutrients, this can be reduced to less than 1%. The outcome – part solutions that will result in people becoming more malnourished because of an accumulated deficit resulting from the body not receiving its daily requirements. This might be the reason why there is often so much conflicting clinical evidence as to whether taking supplements have any value.

With this understanding we became totally dismayed at the common practice of interventions using refined chemical nutrient forms with high levels of refined sugar that have known health consequences but also help reduce nutrient absorption. The science says in relation to a malnourished human being, this “common approach” can never result in nutrient repleteness. Low bio-efficacy will result due to the blocking of nutrients caused by phytates or the use of high levels of calcium carbonate that “cannot” address calcium deficiency. Such approaches can save lives in the short term, but leave whole communities dysfunctional as a result of low nutritional status. Here lies the root cause of the trap of the repeated need to intervene with food aid.

There seems to be a growing political will to invest serious resources into nutrition interventions’ without the understanding that “common practice” approaches are “part solutions” that cannot achieve an objective of nutrient repleteness. Such an approach is an “exercise in futility” that will leave people disabled and unable to participate in finding their own solutions to poverty.

Even the Lancet declares that the nutrition Industry is “fragmented, dysfunctional and in serious need of reform”. We need to go back to basics and ask what and why it is all going wrong. We must question the common practice of adding refined isolate chemicals to food as a way of reversing nutrient deficiencies. These are important issues that need to be resolved before we scale current “common practice” programs that decision makers need to understand could create an even larger disaster.



There needs to be a good governance commitment that states: the objective must be nutrient repleteness. This will ensure an integrated approach is developed. Part solutions that do not take into account what gets biologically absorbed need to be put under scrutiny.

In conclusion - making community’s nutrient replete as a primary priority creates a new economic dynamic that is referred to as a nutrition economy. Such a developmental paradigm based on the assumption that such an intervention achieves nutrient repleteness, will result in communities becoming physiologically functional and therefore better able to educate their children. Educated healthy citizens can participate in finding their own solutions to their poverty challenges.

It is this approach that is now being referred to as the e’Pap revolution - helping to create a nutrition economy that is spreading at grass roots into communities across Africa. This should be replicated in all communities as we rethink our health policies and strategies.

Before you rush off and create your own product perhaps consider that we and our technology partners have done the footwork. Work with us to mobilize resources around a common approach that is dedicated to creating nutrient replete communities that will include – fixing the food chain. To achieve this we will need to change a fundamental definition around the concept of “food security” to one that must be re-defined as “nutrition security”.

The present commercial food chain must move away from its present focus of only “yield, branding and stomach filling” of macro nutrients. If we are to survive as a species, the food chain’s role must be re-defined as a delivery system for nutrients focused on achieving nutrition security. The aim is to effectively create nutrient replete communities.

More, and still more, into a bottomless pit is the only answer to the present paradigm described as food security to address poverty. We have seen a better way forward. Nutrition security that creates nutrient replete communities will require doing the job right, with less.

Dr Basil Kransdorff D.Sc.



Proposal - OverviewJanuary 2017

Introduction

The collaborated organizations are registered Organizations collaborating in addressing the key drivers of the needed intervention.

The needed intervention is:

ECD (Children age 0 – 6 years) Strategy

Nutritional Feeding of Children before and while crèche’s are being built and Hospital are being upgraded or for that matter, before you do anything feed our children nutritionally.

Period.

As if we keep on ignoring this like we are for the last 100 years we will continue creating a society that grows up with stunting a part of the life and in essence marginalizing the levels of education for these children – 30 points less IQ than that of a normal child let alone the physical health and healing of the children.

With the like mindedness of assisting and implementation of implementing much needed early child hood development, recuperation of cancer stricken children or ill of any disease the nutritional feeding in Gauteng (Phase One) informal centers and communities and hospitals is no longer an issue that can be ignored

The realization that if these vulnerable children do not get assistance especially from ECD, schooling and investment as far as nutritional feeding.

During the founding phase Nutritious Children - project found that without the recourses available to themselves and the lack of manpower and skills it was not able to exist, the first port of call was then to establish a nutritional feeding scheme as its main project and offer immediate solution to a % of the vulnerable children along with other ECD centre’s and hospitals existing and that were being established.

It is critical to note that with many NPO’s already working here the true challenge is to ensure that the funds that Nutritious children-Project receive will be implemented with the desired result of every Rand spent to create the impact on the ground and touching the life it was meant to change ,empower and liberate for equal opportunities. That is why we promote a real partnership with donors, communities and Nutritious children - project.

Nutritious Children - project will prove with intention and deliberateness, committed to utilizing the funding transparently, responsibly and with accountability that an impact on “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”- Albert Einstein.


the ground will be realized for these beneficiaries. We are well aware that by staying on track with our values and morals, this in itself will be the differentiation of how and what we do as a key social upliftment drive for years to come.

This is to us simple and first and foremost the success factor and non-negotiable business key driver.

It will also allow us to build a long-term reinvestment portfolio which will ensure our self – sustainability.

Although a new and young project we are harnessing the best products skills and business acumen by collaborating together. We are committed we have the right networks and infrastructure development and need assistance to refurbish the buildings and funds to operate, train and distribute the different deliverables that will focus the solution of our mission Feed Nutritionally first, then educate to it is key to launch out of the starting block with the correct values and strategy to ensure every yard is one step in the right direction to winning our race.

Mission

Implementing immediate solution for the problem of early child hood development linking nutritional feeding. Creating a platform (vehicle) that mobilizes the key importance of nutritional feeding of children changing their hope and reality for a future that will liberate equal opportunity for the children, parents and communities. Holistic development, impactful community development initiatives yielding economically empowerment for the communities’ in the Western Cape And SA at large.

Vision

Nutritionally feed all children in existing ECD centers and those not in ECD’s (unregistered) and, places where nurturing recuperation (Hospitals), learning growing and healthy developing children are the main concern in these communities. 2017 - 2018

Establish adult learning SAQA accredited learning center’s train and certify competent caregivers to outcomes practical teachers with the skills and knowledge to empower the children in foundational phase of their lives. Placement of learners in jobs linking with other NPO’s who are already doing this function, The Dream Worker NPO.

Values

● TransparentHonestAccountable

● ResponsibleAchievableMeasurable



Outcomes - Impact driven



ECD and nutrition / the importance of recuperation of ill children and prevention of disease - Stunting.

Malnutrition is associated with serious short and long term consequences. A significant proportion of children less than 5 years of age are found to be undernourished in the Western Cape. The stunting prevalence is particularly high in the province and increases in the prevalence of over-nutrition are also observed (Durao et al., 2011). Poor nutrition in children under the age of two can lead to irreversible physical and cognitive damage which impacts adversely not only their future health, but also their economic well–being and welfare.Given a disturbing level of under-nutrition in children and their developmental vulnerability during early childhood, providing adequate nutrition is a key aspect of a quality ECD programme. The majority of facilities operate for between 5 and 10 hours per day and provision of meals are therefore essential. The current funding model is one of subsidization and as a consequence, many children, especially in unsubsidized facilities, have to bring a snack or one of their meals from home. The nutritional quality of this arrangement is of concern and in facilities where children have to bring their own food, some go hungry.Schools that are in impoverished areas are part of the National Schools Nutrition Programme (NSNP), which provides daily nutritious meals to learners in the most disadvantaged areas and the Grades R to 3 learners who are at these public ordinary schools benefit from this programme.

The case for early childhood developmentIntroductionYoung children demand and deserve special attention. The first five years of their lives are the most important because vital development takes place in all domains (sensory-motor, cognitive, socio emotional), and their earliest experiences have the potential to influence them positively or negatively, their families and their communities in later life.

The period between pre-birth and 5 years is thus an important and transient window of opportunity as brain development after this period occurs at a significantly slower pace and builds on the base achieved in early childhood such that competencies acquired here become cumulative. Similarly, lack of optimal cognitive and psychological development in this critical period becomes increasingly difficult and costly to address as children get older. Thus, without intervention, gaps between better and worse-off children widen over time; the earlier theIntervention, the less it costs and the narrower the gap (Grantham-McGregor et al., 2007; Heckman, 2006).

There is a substantive body of evidence on early childhood development, the findings of which provide a call to action. The findings in a recent Lancet series of reviews on child development in developing countries suggest that an estimated one third of more than 200 million children under 5 years, 61% of whom live in Sub Saharan Africa, are not developing to their full potential because they are exposed to multiple risks including poverty, poor



health and nutrition – all of which impact negatively on development. This compromises their readiness for school and their future as productive members of society.

The evidence suggests that the economic implications of poor child development are dire:• The loss of human potential is associated with a 20% deficit in adult income;• Children who fail properly to develop physically, emotionally, intellectually and socially are less likely to be well educated and economically productive adults;• As parents they tend to raise children who are disadvantaged, thereby transferring poverty to the next generation;• When large numbers of children are involved, national development could be at stake.

The historical legacy for the majority of children in the Western Cape in the ECD age cohort has largely been negative as it has been one of exclusion, inequality and fragmentation, with the majority of children who need ECD provision most, not having access to it. Statistics indicate that 5 years ago only about 22% of children in the province had access to ECD provision and that the burden of this provision fell disproportionately on families and communities. Even where children had access, the quality was variable and literacy and numeracy testing of grade 3 learners done by WCED in 2003 and again in 2010 indicated that children are poorly prepared for school and that the school system was not able to redress the effects of early deprivation.

However, as the evidence suggests that substantial interventions in the form of integrated programmes during a child’s early years can help to prevent the loss of potential in affected children, the Western Cape Government has prioritized investment in Early Childhood Development as:• A vehicle for early intervention and child protection;• The basis for improving school outcomes and laying the foundation for lifelong learning;• A means to reduce childhood poverty;• An opportunity to develop the skills and competencies required for economic opportunities in later life.

Background to early childhood developmentEarly childhood is a critical period in human development with the bulk of brain development occurring before 5 years of age. Indeed, recent research on cognitive skills and socio-economic status (SES) has found that children living in poverty perform significantly worse in all five neuro cognitive systems (Noble, Norman, & Farah, 2005). The largest disparity was observed in the language and executive function systems and smaller disparities were apparent in visual cognition, Visio-spatial skills and memory. The language system is a core part of developing reading skills and as such suboptimal language development is a major setback to a child’s development.

On examining reading-related brain activity, researchers have demonstrated that the observedDifferences in reading skills across SES are strongly linked with differences in the development of neural pathways across SES1 (Noble et al., 2006). Furthermore, differences in language performance were determined by the amount of cognitive stimulation children “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”- Albert Einstein.


received from their home and school environment and pre-school programmes, it related to SES (Noble, McCandliss, & Farah, 2007).

Brain and biological development in the early years is experience-based, leading to neurophysiological pathways being laid down in synaptic formations in the brain. These establish the foundation for emotional, language, motor and cognitive competencies. The quality of sensitivity provided in early relationships with carers is integral to this process. The developmental sensitivity of this period provides both opportunities for laying a positive foundation for the child’s future emotional and intellectual development, as well as being a time during which insults can have a long lasting impact on development.

As Figure 2 illustrates different functions develop sequentially and pre-birth to three yearsare especially critical.

Figure 2: Human brain development

Source: Centre on the Developing child at Harvard University (2007).

For children with weaker innate phonological skills to acquire average reading skills, they must receive sufficient or additional cognitive stimulation in order to develop compensatory neural pathways. The amount of stimulation received in the home or school is directly related to SES, and as such, children with a low SES and a lower level of phonological ability



will not “catch up”to their peers unlike similar children of high SES (Noble, Wolmetz, Ochs, Farah, &McCandliss, 2006).

Formal training in the mother tongue is an important factor in the development of global language proficiency in multicultural children. Therefore it is recommended that formal training in ECD facilities is provided in the child’s mother tongue as it is the means for children in developing countries to access basic literacy and numeracy as well as other skills that will improve their lives. Mother tongue-based bilingual (L1 = Mother tongue and L2 = English) education not only increases access to skills but also raises the quality of basic education by facilitating classroom interaction and integration of prior knowledge and experiences with new learning (Benson, C. 2004).

In relation to children’s access to pre-school programmes in developing countries, the gross enrolment ratio for pre-school in developing decreased the negative impact of low socio-economic status on the likelihood of developing childhood behavioral disorders.

While most of the studies in the review were conducted in the United States, a recent Lancet review of early childhood interventions in developing countries has shown that study findings in developing settings concur with those in developed countries. Based on 20 studies that met the study criteria, the review found that pre-school programmes consistently improved children’s cognitive development. In terms of socio-emotional development, the majority of the studies reported improvements in children’s social skills, self-confidence, relationships with adults and motivation. Longitudinal studies found improvements in school enrolment rates, age of school entry, retention and academic performance (Engle et al countries is 34.3%, compared to 81.1% in developed countries. The lowest pre-school enrolment rates are to be found in the poorest regions; in Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, only 5.6% of young children attend pre-school programmes (Engle et al., 2007).

Return on investmentEvidence for the effectiveness of interventions in early childhood is robust, coming from meta-analyses, systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials, and longitudinal studies. The evidence indicates that investment in early child development is both highly effective and cost-effective, in terms of short term cognitive and mental health benefits and reducing later-life problems that will burden not only the mental and physical health systems, but also other areas of society (for instance, in terms of costs of incarceration, substance abuse programmes, and poor employment records).

Anderson et al (2003) in their excellent systematic review of randomised controlled trials of early childhood programs for low socio-economic status children (‘children at risk’) took 57 intervention studies, and examined them for cognitive, social child health and family outcomes. The review found strong evidence for the effect of ECD programmes on cognitive outcomes which included increased IQ scores, increased school-readiness, lower retention rates (failing a grade), improved academic performance and reductions in the need for special education placements. More than 70% of the effects reported were in the cognitive domain with very limited evidence available in the other domains.



However, the authors point out that cognitive ability and school-readiness are themselves predictors of behavioral problems and delinquency, both of which are predictors for later life mental illness.

Yoshikawa’s (1995) systematic review found positive effects of early childhood programmes on both cognitive and verbal abilities which in turn., 2007; Walker et al., 2007).

The Lancet series identifies the following major risk factors impeding child development in developing countries: inadequate cognitive stimulation, malnutrition, maternal depression and violence (Walker et al., 2007).

There is also evidence that there are numerous long-term benefits to pre-school programmes. Multiple positive effects of pre-school interventions have been documented well into adulthood and are therefore a major investment opportunity for development.

Yoshikawa (1995), for example, found that children attending pre-school programmes with a family support component showed declines in long-term antisocial behavior or delinquency. The longitudinal results of the Chicago Child-Parent Centre (CPC) Preschool Program showed that preschool participation “was significantly associated with more years of education … a higher rate of high school completion … and a higher rate of college attendance” (Ou& Reynolds, 2006). “Findings demonstrate that large-scale school-based programs can have enduring effects into early adulthood” (Ou& Reynolds, 2006). A recent study of the same programme found that, relative to the comparison group receiving the usual services, program participation was independently linked to higher educational attainment, income, socioeconomic status (SES), and health insurance coverage, as well as lower rates of justice-system involvement and substance abuse (Reynolds, 2011).

The persistence of effects of ECD interventions into adulthood is also powerfully demonstrated by the High/Scope Perry Preschool Project. Outcomes for a half-day preschool intervention for at-risk children from impoverished backgrounds in the U.S, combined with weekly home visits, was associated with short-term benefits as described above. Further long-term benefits were found with follow up to age 27.

These included 40% reduction in arrests and 40% increase in employment and literacy rates. Adults were less likely to be dependent on welfare and displayed improved social responsibility (Schweinhart&Weikart, 1998). A cost analysis of this intervention showed that for the $1000 spent per child on the preschool intervention, over $7000-$8000 benefits were returned in terms of taxes paid and lower crime, justice and welfare system costs (Schweinhart&Weikart, 1998). The evidence from developing countries concurs with these findings with the effects of early cognitive stimulation documented up to 17 years after the intervention (Walker et al., 2007).

The 2000 Nobel Prize winner for Economic Sciences, economist James Heckman, demonstrated that interventions early in childhood yield economic returns far higher than interventions at any other time (Heckman & Krueger, 2003; Heckman, 2006). In specific terms, their work found that early interventions for disadvantaged children were more



effective (in terms of outcome) and cost less, than later educational interventions, such as reducing pupil-teacher ratios, or adult interventions, such as job their weaknesses.

The impact of access to pre-school on maternal mental health should also be borne in mind. The literature on the availability of child care is instructive in this instance; both ecological and cross sectional studies have demonstrated that access to child care is associated with increased maternal employment and enrolment in educational activities (Crawford, 2006; Ficano, Gennetian, & Morris, 2006; Herman & Jane-Lopis, 2005; Hofferth& Collins, 2000). In the context of this evidence, Doherty et al (1995) (Doherty, Rose, Friendly, Lero, & Irwin, 1995) argue that the provision of high quality child care is a fundamental part of enabling parents to enter and remain in employment. Publicly funded or subsidized child care programs promote women’s economic and social equality, enable families to become economically self-reliant and as such represent an opportunity to reduce poverty and inequality. While none of these studies evaluated mental health outcomes, there is some evidence of the association between child care and mental health: in a cross-sectional study of low-income working mothers living in poor urban neighborhoods’ in Philadelphia (USA), Press et al (2006) (Press, Fagan, &Bernd, 2006) found that mothers who had problems with child care were significantly more likely to report depressive symptoms (after adjusting for confounders).

There is robust evidence that access to quality pre-school programmes improves cognitive,Verbal and social development resulting in improved educational outcomes and long termreductions in mental health problems, crime and unemployment up to 27 years later.

In conclusion, there is strong evidence that access to early child development programmes linked to nutritional feeding improves cognitive abilities, which in turn affects a child’s achievements and successes in the school environment and beyond, into adult life. The long-term impact of the benefits of preschool interventions is seen in reduced burden of societal cost, both in terms of positive mental health outcomes and economic gain.

Problem statementIn the South Africa the legacy of provision of early childhood development is characterized by inequality with more advantaged children having access to high quality services, a large group of less advantaged children having access to poor quality replicas, and many children having no access at all. The main model of provision is centre-based. Evidence has shown that if this model is replicated under current conditions and challenges in poor communities, it will result in poor quality services with large numbers of children in the care of too few adults, with inadequate space and equipment to provide opportunities for exploration and development.According to Community Survey 2007, there are 956, 528 children between the ages 0-9 years in the province. Those between the ages 0-4 years are primarily the responsibility of the Department of Social Development insofar as ECD provision is concerned, whilst those between the ages 5–9years are the responsibility of the Department of Education.

In the South Africa as in other parts of South Africa, ECD audit data indicate that access to ECD services, and in particular to those of good quality, is skewed towards older children “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”- Albert Einstein.


and to those who come from families with more resources. About 60% (or 333,600) of children from birth to four years do not have access to ECD services and programmes. The majority of these are the most disadvantaged children in the province for whom good quality early services are likely to have the most impact in terms of survival, nutrition, cognitive development, subsequent schooling performance and later employability. It is these children and their families who are prioritized in the Children’s Act and are the target of the National Integrated Plan for ECD. The National Integrated Plan has stated that the majority of young children will be reached at household and community level, as formal centre-based ECD services are both too few and not necessarily able to reach these children and families.

ECD and nutrition

Malnutrition is associated with serious short and long term consequences. A significant proportion of children less than 5 years of age are found to be undernourished in the Western Cape. The stunting prevalence is particularly high in the province and increases in the prevalence of over-nutrition are also observed (Durao et al., 2011). Poor nutrition in children under the age of two can lead to irreversible physical and cognitive damage which impacts adversely not only their future health, but also their economic well–being and welfare.Given a disturbing level of under-nutrition in children and their developmental vulnerability during early childhood, providing adequate nutrition is a key aspect of a quality ECD programme. The majority of facilities operate for between 5 and 10 hours per day and provision of meals are therefore essential. The current funding model is one of subsidization and as a consequence, many children, especially in unsubsidized facilities, have to bring a snack or one of their meals from home. The nutritional quality of this arrangement is of concern and in facilities where children have to bring their own food, some go hungry.Schools that are in impoverished areas are part of the National Schools Nutrition Programme (NSNP), which provides daily nutritious meals to learners in the most disadvantaged areas and the Grades R to 3 learners who are at these public ordinary schools benefit from this programme.

Community-based ECD provisionEvidence of the positive impact of community-based interventions is emerging from the health, social development and education sectors. Home visiting programmes target children of different ages and have different goals making them difficult to compare. However the evidence supports home visiting in general as a promising strategy for helping parents and promoting the growth and development of young children (Weiss, 2006).Community-based health workers (CHWs) can play a major role in identifying serious health problems in families and in some cases they can successfully administer treatment for common conditions. They can also be equipped to provide care during pregnancy and support immediately post-delivery, as well as nutrition interventions. With support, community-based health workers with relatively little formal education can work with the child’s carer in the home setting to facilitate improvements in the child’s nutritional status. A systematic review (Lewin et al, 2010) indicates promising benefits in promoting “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”- Albert Einstein.


immunization uptake and breastfeeding, improving TB treatment outcomes, reducing child morbidity and mortality when compared to usual care.A review of impact studies of seven large United States-based home visiting focusing on pregnant women and families with children from birth to 5 years (Paulsell et al;2010) indicates positive outcomes. These outcomes varied across the different programmes, but favorable outcomes were demonstrated in child development and school readiness, parenting practices, maternal health, reduction of child maltreatment, and family economic self-sufficiency. An earlier review (Gomby, 2003) found the strongest evidence for home visiting programmes in the domains of parenting behaviors, child safety and the prevention of child abuse and neglect. In South Africa, preliminary results of research on home visiting programmes in three sites in vulnerable communities (the Sobambisana project) indicate significant changes in parenting behaviors’, successful linking of families to social grants and other services and improvement in parental coping.

The Children’s Act prescribes the following staff norms for ECD facilities and programmes:1 – 18 months 1:618 months – 3 years 1:123 – 4 years 1:205 – 6 years 1:30

Facilitating demand for services is a critical element in ensuring that women and young children access necessary services. Community-based workers have been effective in mobilizing communities to take up services but also to make demands for greater government accountability in provision of services and factors affecting their accessibility. This has been demonstrated in Nepal where local women facilitated support groups discussing issues around maternal and new born health problems and together with community members, formulated strategies to address them.

This intervention reduced neonatal mortality by 30% with changes in care seeking practices and hygiene, formation of transport schemes and child health funds.Similarly, a number of South African integrated community based ECD interventions use community workers to raise awareness, and bring together local and district government and other service providers to facilitate access to services by young children and their caregivers (Biersteker, 2007). Currently, community-based early learning workers may be state funded health workers or they may work in the NGO sector (with donor or public funding). There is commonly a two-tier model with an employed supervisory worker and semi-employed volunteers. Average ratios of a community based worker to a family/household vary according to distances and the kinds of interventions. In health the average ratios across many national CHW programmes is 1 full-time CHW: 500 households, and CHW: 10-20 volunteers. For ECD interventions a worker may work with between 20 and 40 families.



Growth Path Foundation NPC Enterprise Development – Social Economic Development (CSI) (SED) Project (s)

Introduction:

At the heart of this enterprise development (ED) is the desire to address the high levels of unemployment, poverty and malnutrition in children under the age of 5 years as well as educating regarding the importance of nutrition replenishing, and inequality and skills shortage in our youth and population especially parents and communities in South Africa. The biggest challenge the South African Government is facing is employment and job creation for school leavers.

The importance for all to realize the importance of nutrition and the crucial role it plays in the early years in a child’s life.

For decades now nutritional feeding has been ignored in poor and rural communities, with dire consequences manifesting in the individual child’s life and more importantly the long term effect it has on societies and countries.

The key factor to bear in mind is that successful enterprise development and the



importance of this plan is to not only Feed nutritionally but also create entrepreneurial small businesses (SED) enterprise development initiatives and this doesn’t happen in isolation.

It is an integrated participative process of involving all stakeholders at different levels and at different stages. We realize that success is not only about the application of money. The success of enterprise development is far more than merely funding of a project.

Ideally, it is about identifying, and working with, things that are tangible, and that result in long-lasting and positive empowerment of people. It’s about committing for the full duration of the project plan, from planning, implementation and co-management towards self-sustainability and accepting that self-sustainability is a journey, not an only a destination.

These young individuals in their communities are marginalized from the socio-economic mainstream. Their needs are very basic and immediate, focusing on family livelihoods, Nutrition early childhood development Key high importance, health, basic education and skills.

The response at this first level is often to provide basic education ECD to primary and secondary school tertiary training and skills training, with the hope that this will lead to some form of employment or empowerment for establishing and growing a self-sustainable enterprise. But too often, we have encountered training programmes that have been ‘imposed’ upon vulnerable communities, who out of desperation will accept anything, however inappropriate, that seemingly holds the promise of a better life. Sadly, such initiatives inevitably lead to disappointment once it is realized that the skills offered are not matched to the surrounding economic needs and that training and educating is simply being offered for its own sake.

A basic principle of any sustainable development work, and also to enterprise development, is to ensure that what is being provided is what the community first and foremost requires and wants and, that it is in response to a tangible need, real relevant job creation and business establishment for young entrepreneurs and job seekers.

It is then also important to distinguish between basic welfare or development objectives versus commercial goals. In many instances it is important to firstly assist the youth in their communities to address basic needs such as food security, housing, securing identity documents, accessing social grants, schooling and primary health care before we are able to move along the continuum towards economic self-advancement and job creation.

There are many examples of successful feeding and training programmes. These include programmes that focus on street children who are offered a safe living environment in conjunction with skills training focusing on basic skills such as baking or bead making. A major part of working with such beneficiaries must also be in the proper provision of life skills training (nutritional replenishing at early ages of infants, often using innovative means. These interventions not only address a social need for security, hope and acceptance but in



some instances lead to future employment in the formal economic sector.

The other important function is that of self-help groups, often comprised of unskilled adults in rural areas, who produce goods in limited quantities to supplement social grants needed to eke out a living. These groups are rarely made up of the sort of aspirant entrepreneurs required to run structured businesses, fixed production quotas, or put together sophisticated marketing strategies. But they do provide a way – albeit modest – to supplement income and they should not be overlooked when they are effective. They are critical in the very important developmental facets of providing ways for people to believe in their abilities and potential, accept that they can affect their circumstances for the better, and give greater meaning to their lives.

Many groups simply want to operate at a very basic level in order to meet a basic need and this has a social benefit in itself. Also, we should never discount the often harsh realities that people face in simply surviving. Indeed, often the very survival of such groups represents a major achievement by the individuals concerned.

Enterprise development takes place once all these factors have been taken into account. There are various initiatives that corporate are engaged in through micro-enterprises, small and medium-sized ventures, micro loans, and similar forms of enterprise development.

We must say that you cannot respond to a need alone and that you need to partner with corporate leaders that share the same understanding and commitment. In selecting an enterprise development partner there are also a few obvious partners you could consider such as business hubs, incubators or individual entrepreneurs.

A sector that is often overlooked in the ED space are the non-governmental organizations that, for many years, have been at the coalface of providing skills training and employment opportunities for often the most vulnerable communities in our country.

As with any investment, you need to manage your risks upfront. Developing enterprises and creating employment is no easy task and there are no quick fixes. Lastly, we should not create false divisions between enterprise development and social development in general. So we need to be asking:

● How do we address the fact that there are +- 5000,000 children between the ages 0 – 5 years of age not in ECD centers and not receiving nutritional feeding ( Stunting )

● How can we encourage ED and job creation when our youth in the rural community literacy levels are poor to say the least?

● How can we encourage an entrepreneurial mind set among communities when the majority of the youth are unemployed and, most communities the lack of infrastructure is the biggest challenge?

● How do we ensure that the future workforce (youth) can make informed career choices and have access to proper vocational and life skills training?



And so ED should not be seen by business as a stand-alone initiative, but rather as integral to its overall development strategy. Often, ED and CSI departments do not have formal working relationships and operate oblivious to what each other are doing. A greater understanding of their respective approaches could assist in identifying areas of synergy and programmes that should complement each other.

2. VISION Growth Path Foundation ECD Project will be a true and legitimate partner to the stakeholders that represent the ECD sector.

Early Childhood Nutritional feeding & Skills Development Project will be a recognized and much appreciated vehicle to speed up training and development for the youth in order to establish sustainable, prosperous enterprises, also within rural communities. “Through trust and honest efforts, The Project will be particularly recognized for its efforts to develop its learners as whole beings. The tenacity to secure funds for achieving our objectives will be our obsession, and quality will be our passion.

3. MISSION The Project creates and promotes opportunities for social, economic and employment growth focused on the youth for enterprises starting at levels ECD and, in conjunction with other stakeholders in the economy, and industry leaders through relevant, quality and accessible education, training and development in both ECD and primary and secondary as its building blocks are in ECD linked to Nutritional feeding – healthy brain development removing learning disabilities.



Hollard CSI and Hollard Foundation Trust - Funding Proposal Cost Application

Objective 1: Goal

Time line: March 2017

Responsibility1:

Immediate distribution of nutritional feeding to existing network of children Zand Spruit and ECD’s

Skills planning and delivery education campaign for Nutritional replenishment and the importance of this – Easy access to relevant Skills Programs and easy access to accredited outcomes based competency learning.

Feed nutritionally all Zand Spruit Lactating mothers and children of the ages of 0-6 years one e-pap meal per day

Intake of first 30 caregivers for up skilling them to level 4 ECD national certificate 6 months full time education

Priority 2 Goal:

Research - obtain human development intelligence available annually - update and analyses, interpret throughout Nutrition and skills development to prepare the strategic plan implementation of skills delivery and enterprise development projects in hospitals and targeted institutions.

A responsive MIS providing accurate timeous outputs to contribute to informed decision making for the creation of jobs and self-sustainable enterprise development initiatives. “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”- Albert Einstein.


Objective:

Evaluate and strategize implementation with CSI funding partners and community stakeholders the skills development and enterprise development projects in the identified communities throughout Economic Development Project -Skills Development geographical area to ensure alignment to NSDS 2016 - 2018.

Responsibility:

Skills planning delivery – Implementing

Priority 3 Goal:

Building enterprise viability and sustainability through training and development A well informed and planned strategy focusing on well informed youth and communities with regards to scarce skills and career opportunities in agriculture in the identified beneficiary communities

Objective:

A new and “easy to read” career guide developed and career paths plotted against OFO aligned occupations linked to The Enterprise Development Projects.

Community and regional Skills Development Enterprise Development models (guide) relevant for regional, provincial geographical locations with track record of self-sustainable viability.

Time line: June 2017

Responsibility:

Skills planning developed and implemented into the geographically identified communities with the supported enterprise development projects for geographically selected communities.

The above priorities will be expedited with wide consultation and partnership alliances between Social Economic Development Early Childhood Nutritional feeding & Skills

Development linked to enterprise development initiatives Project



Costing budget for 2017

Hollard Insurance CSI and Hollard Foundation TrustThe following priorities and goals as well as objectives will govern our strategy execution ensure the sustainability for year 2 and onwards to extend to faze 2:

Priority 1 Goal: 2017Funding for Growth Path Development for the ECD linked to nutritional feeding and SAQA accredited Skills development Community center and Nutritional feeding of ECDS linked Project

Project cost per year- Hollard Foundation TrustE Pap Stock purchasing @ R60, 000.00 per yearDelivery vehicle @ R48, 000.00 once ofETDP SETA Accreditation training care givers to level 4 ECD @ R44, 000.00 once off

Operational expenses Administration:Rent 12 months @ R36, 000.00 per year Water and Lights @ R 7, 000.00 per year Furniture and classrooms setup @ R32, 000.00 once offMarketing and communications Budget ` @ R12, 000.00 per yearFuel for operational. @ R 10, 000.00 per yearTelephone and internet including setup @ R 9, 000.00 per year

Project manager @ R 9, 000.00 per yearLabor and wages 12 months @ R 42, 000, 00 per year

January- February 2017 - Funding-Hollard CSI intervention 2 crèches @ R 20, 000.00



1. Basic Skills Development Promoting basic literacy and numeracy and raising the base level of education for the sector, improving the work and livelihood of existing workers.

2. Employability: Making the employee more employable by improving the fit between their skills and the sector needs. 3. Enterprise Viability: Improving the capability and feasibility of the enterprise by increasing its effectiveness of or possibilities for profit generation, etc.

4. Enterprise Sustainability: Allow enterprises to survive and grow over an extended period of time without compromising the value of renewable resources, thereby creating long-term meaningful employment for larger numbers of people.

5. Economic Growth: Enabling the sector to develop or pursue new opportunities or improve the effectiveness of current operations.

6. Economic Competitiveness: Enabling the sector to compete more effectively in the international arena, improving market intelligence and interpretation, productivity, cost efficiency, etc.

9. Growth Path Foundation e Pap Nutritional Feeding and - Economic & Skills Development Project phased implementation plan and deadlines:

Phase 1: October 2016 – March 20117 – SAQA Registered and Seta Accredited Skills Development Site

March 2017 – Growth Path Development- e Pap Nutritional feeding, Umnotho NPO network established target audience Training Site preparation (Building and Equipment)

Seta accreditation and site accreditation prepare for training implementation

Development of Curriculum and Skills Programs - as researched with identified local communities for phase 1

● ECD Level 4 National Certificate● Nutritional feeding new health system for Africa● New Venture Creation - ( Skills Program)● Life skills – ( Includes Basic Financial planning for household and micro Enterprise)● Computer literacy – Introduction to Computers Microsoft desktop and ● Welding



● Brickmaking● Planting and harvesting a crop – National certificate

Phase 2: March 2017– January 2018– Implement learning initiatives in partnership with, CSI Partners as well as the elected communities - Continues research and development of new relevant learning programs.

Implement and run the training that we have been accredited for.

Identify enterprise development projects relevant to our current accredited skills development programs and community needs.

Implement first community enterprise project and guide, co-manage towards self-sustainability.

Evaluate re-align to meet objectives and report to all stake holders on the Financials and progress of the projects.

Record and plan provincial roll-out of blueprint models of skills development and enterprise development.

Report on successes achieved and ROI

Phase 3: March 2017 – January 2018 – Implement learning initiatives in partnership with, CSI Partners as well as the elected communities.

Implement the Models for skills development and enterprise development that have been tried and tested.

Manage towards self-sustainability.

Evaluate and re-align to meet objectives.

Report on successes achieved and ROI

Implement the phases and roll out and create employment opportunities and entrepreneurial development initiatives contributing to the GDP of SA

For all enquiries please contact Eduard Ellis:

[email protected]

Cell: 0846715490


hollard insurence and hollard foundation trust- ecd nutritional feeding of children funding...

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