The Covid 19 pandemic is a historic health crisis which has disrupted business, government systems and our social practices. As a result, South Africa is facing new challenges in ensuring good nutrition and hygiene for all families. Schools and their food gardens are not immune to the effects of these challenges.
In his 2020 Freedom Day Address, President Ramaphosa declared, “In the South Africa that we all want, no man, woman or child will go hungry, because they will have the means to earn an income, and our social assistance programmes will be matched by efforts to enable communities to grow their own food.”
In support of this goal, the Jala Peo Initiative creates multistakeholder partnerships called Forums that work to promote health and nutrition. Forums seek to improve school food and nutrition gardens and also reach out to educate communities and advocate the spread of basic agricultural practices such as homestead gardens.
In this newsletter, we invite you to explore the potential of community outreach strategies with the different Forums. In addition, the back page of this newsletter provides hygiene practices and projects to help prevent the spread of Covid 19 and other diseases.
We hope you and your loved ones are well and safe, and thank you for your continued commitment to the health and well-being of learners, their communities and to the future of South Africa. Your support is the fertile soil in which the next generation will grow.
