What lunch box did you have at preschool?
Mine was bright red with a white lid. Always packed with two sandwiches: PBJ for breakfast and something savoury for lunch. Mom’s love—in a box.
Today, you can give the same feeling of security to a vulnerable toddler when you sponsor a child’s meals in South Africa.
Food security is vital to early childhood development (ECD), supporting mind, body, and soul. Tragically, many families across the country still live with the spectre of hunger and malnutrition, leaving little ones exposed to illness and stunting before they even begin their education.
Join us as we reflect on the remarkable physical, emotional, and cognitive changes we have witnessed in two of Project Hope’s precious toddlers. This is thanks, in large part, to a humble bowl of breakfast porridge.
Welcome to ePap Series Part 3: Olive & Lucky Updates
Share our tales of joy as we look at the life-altering effect of a superior foundational diet on Olive (3 ½ years old) and Lucky (2 ½ years old).
In January 2026, we received a generous bulk donation of ePap—a nutrient-dense, fortified porridge made in Gauteng. Now, six months on, we invite you to review the tangible difference a full tummy makes in an underprivileged child battling the effects of malnutrition.
See How Essential Nutrition Transformed Olive’s Health
There is one word that captures Olive’s journey thus far: transformation!
When Olive first arrived at Project Hope, she was malnourished, underweight, and struggling with multiple medical conditions. Her mother, recently discharged from a crisis centre, had nowhere else to turn. She cradled her three-year-old daughter in her arms, desperate for help. Thanks to nutritious meals, medical care, and consistent support, Olive is now strong, vibrant, and energetic.
Immune Support Heals Poverty Scars
Considering only six months have passed since that frightening Christmas spent in the hospital, the visible changes in Olive’s physical health are amazing! It is almost impossible to believe she is the same little girl.
Warning. There are graphic images in the following link to ePap Series, Part One. Compare Olive’s painful eczema and itchy, scabies-infected skin with her current healthy glow, pictured below.
Olive’s 6-Month Physical Health Update:
- Healthy Weight Gain: Progressed from 14.7 kg to 16.2 kg.
- Hair Health: Regained natural hair volume and colour.
- Skin Recovery: Developed healthy, glowing skin without any scars.
Medically, Olive’s progress has been extraordinary. An adult portion of ePap made a massive impact on restoring her immune system. This wholesome porridge is fortified with essential micronutrients tailored for easy absorption to help ECD-aged children fight disease.
- Vitamins (A, B6, B9, B12, C, D, E)
- Minerals (iron, zinc, copper, selenium).
Olive’s body is rid of nutrient-robbing intestinal worms, and her life-threatening chest infection is permanently resolved. Lifted from the constant burden of illness, a once-withdrawn child is finally enjoying childhood.
Emotional and Cognitive Breakthroughs
This is perhaps the most beautiful change—one that cannot be measured on a scale or recorded in a medical file. Olive fully engages with life, approaching each day with curiosity and excitement:
- She laughs easily and plays enthusiastically with friends.
- She participates in class and loves learning new things.
- She is developing confidence and has found joy.
Although the effects of trauma do not disappear overnight, day by day, Olive is discovering a world of kindness and hope. Every child deserves stability and needs security in order to thrive.
Transformation happens through thousands of small acts of care: a medical appointment, a nutritious meal, a comforting hug, a safe classroom, and a community willing to stand alongside a family during their most difficult season. Project Hope is deeply grateful for everyone who invested in unlocking Olive’s true potential.
Olive’s ECD Grow Report: Term 2 Highlights
Click on Olive’s report card and scroll through the four age-appropriate developmental milestones.
Discover Why ePap Donations Curb Stunting & Strengthen Lucky
The central concept that describes Lucky’s improvement over the past six months is strengthening!
Lucky’s mom brought him to Project Hope when he was a tiny two-year-old. His mother loved him deeply, but without a stable income or support, she simply could not provide the care he needed. Perpetual hunger had made him angry, and she hoped school would offer regular meals and a chance for her little boy to thrive.
Quality Protein Promotes Growth
Lucky’s body was fragile. He was often tired, struggled to regulate his emotions, and frequently pushed other children away when he felt overwhelmed. Click on ePap Series (Part Two) link to find out about Lucky’s malnutrition fight.
Lucky’s 6-Month Physical Health Update:
- Healthy Weight Gain: Progressed from 9.7 kg to 10.6 kg.
- Arm Circumference (MUAC): Improved from 11.7 cm to 12.2 cm.
- Encouraging Height Growth: Increased from 79 cm to 80 cm.
The daily bowl of ePap has thrown a lifeline to Lucky’s physical development. The high-quality, bioavailable ingredients support growth, provide energy, and help young brains process information.
- Muscle Support (protein, folate, nucleotides)
- Bone Growth (vitamins D & C, manganese)
- Neurological Processing (thiamine, riboflavin, biotin, iodine, niacin)
Lucky looks significantly healthier. He is stronger. He is growing. Every centimetre matters for a child who began life so far behind.
Emotional Resilience Begins to Bloom
Life at home continues to be marked by instability and hardship. Ongoing family challenges and the absence of a father figure mean Lucky can still be sensitive and hesitant.
Yet, we are seeing moments that give us tremendous hope. Lifted from the constant fog of hunger, his true personality is emerging:
- He increasingly seeks connection with those around him.
- He enjoys playing with his friends and responds to nurturing care.
- He engages willingly in classroom activities and shows flashes of curiosity.
At school, Lucky is surrounded by teachers who understand his journey. They offer him stability, patience, and affection every child needs to transition from survival to growth.
Our ‘grumpy old man’ is slowly becoming a little toddler with the strength to play, learn, explore, and simply be a child. Thank you to all who remain committed to supporting Lucky on his path to happiness.
Lucky’s ECD Grow Report: Term 2 Highlights
Scroll through Lucky’s Term 2 report cards.
Be the sole sponsor of a vulnerable child.
Invest in Bright Futures: Sponsor a Child’s Meals in South Africa
Project Hope is a local, registered, non-profit organisation laser-focused on providing underprivileged children—birth to 5 years—the best start in life. Our mission goes beyond temporary relief; we aim for sustainable, long-term development.
Visit our website—Our Work page—find out about wraparound care.
How ePap Fits Into Project Hope’s Feeding Model
In the past, we seldom delivered food staples directly to our affiliated ECD centres. Project Hope paid school fees for the sponsored children, and the schools managed their own budgets to provide cooked meals and snacks.
However, food price increases are relentless. So, last year we sought a solution that allowed the schools to focus their limited funds on lunch and snacks: #Project Breakfast.
By utilising ePap, we ensure that every child in our care receives 100% of their daily essential nutrient intake in a single meal. This allows us to maximise the impact of every donation, turning simple nutrition into school readiness, emotional resilience, and a fair chance at life.
Our Urgent ePap Supply & Restock Needs
Right now, we urgently need a generous donor to help restock our dwindling ePap supplies. The current wholesale price of a 20kg bale is R1,4999.00.
If you are inspired by our toddlers’ success stories, please contact us to arrange a bulk order directly from the supplier at their humanitarian feeding scheme discount. Your business CSI budget or personal intervention will keep Olive and Lucky’s breakfast bowls full.
While ePap covers breakfast, many children are severely malnourished and require additional food support. Thanks to the kindness of individual sponsors, we send food home with these children to shore up the most impoverished households.
Give these little ones an extra boost for their long walk home.
How You Can Make a Positive Impact Today:
- Tubs & Jars of Hope: Drop off at Hillcrest Methodist Church.
- Healthy Snacks: FutureLife granola bars, apples and oranges.
- Meal Additives: Peanut butter and oil.
- Emergency Food Parcels: Learn more on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Note: A local driver assists us with collecting and delivering food supplies from our office, paid for by Project Hope. This ensures food donations reach families and centres safely, allowing us to respond quickly during a crisis.
Partner with Project Hope: be the bulk ePap donor that helps empower SA’s future generations. A child cannot thrive in isolation…
Hopelessness swallows joy.
Starved of self, a gnawing sorrow.
Left? A muted cry for help.
But, Nourished Souls, Spark into Life!
Through private funding, corporate donations, and strategic partnerships, we build trust, social bonds, and a sense of shared responsibility that holds communities together.
Thank you for taking the time to read our ePap series about Olive and Lucky.
With love,
The Project Hope Family