Free State Caregivers Feed 200 Kids During School Breaks

When the school bell rings for holidays in Nyakallong, Free State, most children celebrate their break. But for many families in this community, school closures mean their children lose access to their only guaranteed meal of the day.

Rebecca Ndaba and six other caregivers at We Care Daycare centre decided that wasn't acceptable. Since noticing the need, they've kept their kitchen doors open throughout school holidays, feeding up to 200 children daily during breaks.

"We realised there is a need for us to provide a plate to these kids beyond the school term," says Ndaba, who has watched her hometown change as mining jobs disappeared and unemployment soared.

During term time, learners at SA Mokgothu Primary School receive meals through the National School Nutrition Programme, a government initiative that provides nutritious food to support concentration and attendance. But when schools close, that lifeline disappears.

We Care Daycare steps into the gap. The centre, established in 2001 to support families affected by HIV and other vulnerabilities, welcomes children from multiple schools throughout the year, serving meals after school and during every holiday period.

Cook and caregiver Annah Lekgetho prepares varied menus including rice with chicken and pumpkin, fish with potatoes, and pap with beans. "We cook the whole year, during school term and holidays," she says. "We even give them snacks and fruit."

The impact reaches beyond the children who eat there. One mother shared with School Governing Body member Masabata Mofokeng that her son saved a plate from the centre to bring home because there wasn't enough food for both of them.

The Ripple Effect

In Nyakallong, where about 300 unemployed people gather weekly at a local forum hoping to find mining work, We Care's kitchen has become more than a feeding program. It's become a symbol of community resilience.

Ndaba remembers when almost every household had someone working in the mines and food insecurity wasn't a concern. Today's reality looks different, with many parents depending on social grants and casual work.

The Free State Department of Social Development provides funding support to We Care, recognizing how community organizations bridge critical gaps. "We need to understand hunger plays a very important role in shaping the behaviour of a child," says department spokesperson Paballo Khamadi, who also grew up in Nyakallong.

Teacher Mantoa Mthombeni sees the difference daily in her classroom. "A hungry child cannot concentrate," she explains. "When a child has eaten, they are alert in class."

Seven caregivers have transformed a simple daycare kitchen into a year-round safety net, proving that when government programs pause, community commitment doesn't have to.