The DBE, through the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) Directorate, in partnership with Nestlé SA and other stakeholders, hosted the National Nutrition Week (NNW) 2023 advocacy campaign at Elizabethfontein Mor Primary School, West Coast District in the Western Cape Province. The event took place on 19 October 2023, which was celebrated under the theme “Feel good with food”. The NNW is an annual campaign which is celebrated from 9 to15 October to create awareness amongst consumers about the importance of healthy eating. The campaign objective is to increase learners’ and caregivers’ ability to make choices in line with the South African Guidelines for Healthy Eating and to decrease the consumption of unhealthy ultra-processed foods.
Ms Neo Sediti, NSNP Director, emphasised the importance of healthy eating: “We should avoid unhealthy food, have healthy eating habits, and understand the importance of physical activities as part of our daily routine, making healthy choices and be mindful of your diet. Your food should nourish both your body and mind. The NSNP avoids processed foods and embraces plant-based options. According to the 2016 South African Demographic and Health Survey and the 2012 South African Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES), children younger than five years old and between the ages of six and 14 years are overweight or obese and that is why it is important that we eat healthy and live healthy lifestyles”.
During her speech, Ms Lindelwa Sopotela, Western Cape Department of Education NSNP Manager, encouraged community members to work together with the school to ensure that learners are practising healthy eating habits, praising the school staff for their leadership skills: “This school is a beacon of hope, I would like to applaud the staff and principal for their great work; the learners of the school will have hope for the future.”
A community professional nurse from the Pebbles Trust, Ms Lenay Zimri, added that good nutrition is a key component of a healthy lifestyle. Healthy eating and physical activity can main health and reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.
The Mayor of Cederberg, Councillor Reuben Richards, encouraged learners to read more books, to concentrate on their studies and to eat well for their bodies and minds to function optimally. In his address, the Chief Director for Inclusive Education, Western Cape Education Department, Dr Sigamoney Naicker, stated that there is a need for people in the communities to be uplifted. We need to form partnerships, not only with the children and the schools, but with the parents.
Ms Annatjie Dames, the principal of the school touched on the significance of celebrating NNW: “It is an honour to host this year’s event at our school. The educates learners on the benefits of healthy eating to reduce the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer,” she said.
The NSNP is the Department’s flagship programme, which aims to enhance the learning capacity of learners through the provision of a healthy meal at schools, providing more than 9 million learners in 21,800 schools with cooked nutritious meals on school days. Despite the heat in Clanwilliam, Elizabethfontein Mor Primary School learners kicked off the day with a 1km fun walk and participated in various fun activities such as soccer, rugby, netball, hula-hoops, tug of war and many more, wrapping up the day by enjoying nutritious meals.