For many Early Childhood Development centres, providing daily nutritious meals is becoming increasingly difficult. Food costs continue to rise, many families face mounting financial pressure, and ECD centres can get caught in the middle wanting to provide quality meals but not being able to increase school fees without marginalising the very families they wish to support.
Yet for young children, proper nutrition shapes far more than physical health. Research consistently shows that good nutrition supports concentration, energy, emotional wellbeing and readiness to learn.
This is why the partnership between Environ Cares and Grow ECD continues to matter.
Now in its fourth year, the Feeding Our Beautiful Future initiative is helping 1,050 children across 15 Grow ECD centres start each school day with a nutritious breakfast.
And the impact reaches far beyond the breakfast bowl.
Every meal makes a diference
The 2026 feeding scheme launched during the first week of March at Grow ECD centres in Gqeberha and Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape.
Through the programme:
- 1,050 young learners receive a nutritious meal every school day
- Centres receive fortified e’Pap porridge support
- Families benefit from consistent, reliable breakfast supoprt at their centres
- ECD centres can redirect limited budgets toward other operational needs
Funded through Environ Cares donations, 100% of all funding goes directly toward purchasing and delivering e’Pap.
Healthy children learn better
For many centre owners, the difference is visible every morning.
Children arrive excited for breakfast. Teachers report smoother starts to the school day. Parents feel reassured knowing their children are beginning the day with a healthy meal.
The fortified e’Pap used in the programme contains 24 micronutrients and four macronutrients designed to support healthy development. It is scientifically formulated, nutrient-rich and lower in sugar than many common breakfast cereals.
Dorothy Jonas from Busy Little Feet Daycare shared:
“ePap helps us with easy and quick preparation, which is perfect for our super-busy mornings. The kids love the different flavours and it makes me happy to know they are starting the day with a healthy meal.”
Macyleen Maboi from Little Ones Learning Preschool explained:
“As a centre that does not provide meals to the children, receiving ePap has truly been a blessing for us.”
Feeding support inside strong learning environments
What makes this partnership especially meaningful is that the feeding support exists within a larger ecosystem of ECD quality support. The programme is designed to support centres and families, as centres move towards improved financial sustainability on the Small Business Programme.
All participating centres are part of Grow ECD’s 3-year Small Business Programme.
This includes:
- Curriculum and educational resources
- Teacher training and mentoring
- Business and compliance support
- Classroom equipment
- Ongoing quality monitoring through STAR Assessments
Tracey Chambers, CEO of Grow ECD, explains:
“The result is that this collaboration ensures feeding support is delivered within strong, well-supported learning environments, doubling impact.”
Four years of partnership, care and practical impact
ECD centres are under growing financial strain, and nutritious food remains one of the biggest operational costs. This partnership helps ease some of that pressure while supporting child wellbeing and early learning.
The Feeding Our Beautiful Future initiative continues to show what is possible when organisations work together around a shared purpose.
Your support today can help us reach even more families. Donate now.
Grow ECD is an early learning social enterprise. We equip ECD businesses and organisations with the skills, support and resources they need to provide 5-star early learning for every child.