Zero2Five reaches out to little ones over Christmas

When the school gates close for the year, many of KwaZulu-Natal’s youngest children face the harsh reality of hunger for the next six weeks. They rely on meals provided between lessons and will go hungry during what should be fun-filled summer holidays.

NPO Intervenes

Jodi Pons‘s team at the Zero2Five Trust, a leader in ECD interventions in the province and host of a flagship Holiday Club Programmes.  This puts the joy back into the festive season for thousands of local children.  Zero2Five has been operating since 2018, is again preparing to fill the nutritional gap.  They will also open their facilities for fun and educational activities during the six-week summer break.

Although they are focussing on happiness during the festive season, the stark realities are always in the background.  

According to the South African Early Childhood Review 2024, nearly five million children under six live in households that cannot meet their basic needs.  Almost half of KZN children experiencing some of the highest rates of food insecurity in the country. This results in ongoing malnutrition, stunting and developmental delays.

Food is scarce

“Food security is declining all the time. It is scary how basic food items have become ridiculously expensive. Although an extra 5kg bag of porridge doesn’t seem like much, it translates into 100 meals for a young child over the six-week school holiday period. I would imagine it all gets split amongst siblings and maybe even the elderly, but I welcome knowing that we are helping impoverished households,”  says newly appointed COO, Jodi Pons.

Holiday Clubs

Another major concern is safety. This is evident in the many stories of neglected children that emerged during the 2024 holiday season.  These include households where caretakers were working and young children were left in the “supervision” of their older siblings. The holiday season might be great joy for many children, but it also puts the vulnerable ones at an even greater risk.

“We open our four venues for children who are normally not looked after. This is a big problem for parents who still go to work in December. Schools close as early as November 20 and they have to make sure that their children are safe. It’s one thing having older siblings, but they have friends stopping by and often this is not a safe environment for young children,” she explains.

At the holiday clubs, Zero2Five provides breakfast, a snack and lunch and then hosts a school day filled with games, entertainment and supervised play.

During 2024, the Zero2Five Holiday Programme reached over 530 children and distributed nutritional support to about 4 000 families. Special ‘Lovebox’ gifts, packed by learners from Thomas More College provided gifts for 450 children. In addition, volunteer caretakers – who also assist Zero2Five with preschool activities during the school year – receive a stipend for their help.

An improved Holiday Club Programme over 2025/26 December-January, includes a storytelling course for caretakers and will provide 500 buckets of fresh produce for poor families. Each bucket will include a large cabbage and 1 kg packs of onions, potatoes, carrots, apples, and pears which will be delivered to centres in uThukela, uMgungundlovu and uMlazi.

Caption:  Zero2Five visited the Ephangweni Hall in Estcourt to entertain the children and hand over gifts and hampers to the children. 

Pictured with blue container (Left to right) Lamile Hadebe, Emihle Madondo, Mdumiseni Sambo, Nasheli Rashishi, Onothando Mazibuko, Znchesande Kheswa and  Asemahle Mazibuko