Welcome to Project Hope’s ePap Series Part Two: A Story of two-year old, Lucky *, who battles with aggression caused by starvation. Discover how you can sponsor a child’s meals in South Africa and be part of the solution.
From Hunger to Hope
Do you worry about the burgeoning explosion of world hunger? Humanitarians of the world unite! Help provide true leadership that translates into a future of promise. Partner with us, a non-profit organisation based in KwaZulu-Natal, focused on holistic early childhood development (ECD). Be a part of Lucky’s transformation. Change the narrative. Fund a tomorrow that gives humanity a fighting chance.
The late Lucky Dube’s song, ‘Born To Suffer’, pinpoints the problem best:
I watch my son…
Kwashiokor is there
They need parental care…
Lucky’s Bright Future Begins at Project Hope
We often start our blogs detailing statistics that outline the problem at hand. However, the perpetual patterns of poverty and violence are so stark that they don’t need reclarification. Instead, today, the plight of one underprivileged little boy tells the tale: a story woven with hope, highlighting tangible solutions.
Win Lucky’s Malnutrition Fight
Little Lucky is only two years old. His tiny body is barely able to carry his heavy soul – burdened by the weight of his world. His skinny arms are not strong enough to hold his restless spirit. When we first met him, we noticed the patches on his head where hair no longer grew and his round, swollen belly: Kwashiokor tells a disturbing tale of hunger.
Lucky was grumpy, his brows furrowed, his eyes tired in a way befitting an old man. But he was not born this way. And, with your generous donation, we can secure him a bright future full of hope.
Why You Should Donate to Toddler Nutrition
At home, Lucky’s mother loves him deeply. You can see it in the way she holds him close and whispers his name. There is no father in their home, no steady support, no papa to play with. Just a mom trying, day after day, with no job and no clear way forward.
We are determined not to let this current dilemma dictate his journey. Especially when, with your help and our holistic ECD approach, pragmatic solutions exist.
Beyond the Bowl
Lucky’s mom came to us, carrying both hope and worry, and asked if he could join the preschool. She told us that he is very clever, that his anger is not who he truly is, but something shaped by starvation and loneliness.
A 3 Step Approach to Early Childhood Development
Lucky has been welcomed into Project Hope’s Child Sponsorship Programme, where care is wrapped around a child’s life in steady, faithful ways. Here, in the Valley of 1000 Hills, he will receive daily nutritious meals, early learning support, and a safe space to grow. Fund our 3-step approach to quality ECD in SA.
1. Remove Barriers to Positive Parenting
During the day, Lucky is often alone. Their house is broken and open to the cold. There are no curtains to soften the wind, no proper bed for him to sleep on – just a dusty floor and a few worn blankets. At night, when hunger hits, Lucky’s soft whimpers break his mom’s heart. Rest is impossible when your stomach is empty. Message us to make a once-off monetary donation and help fix Lucky’s home.
Address Child Aggression
He is quick to cry, quick to push and lash out at other children. It is tough to show gentleness when life has been so hard. Difficult to know boundaries without a father; unable to test his strength, and no energy for boisterous play. Lucky’s behavioural issues are typical of survival mode, manifestations of chronic hunger and an unstable home environment.
Project Hope removes the bottlenecks to parenting for under-resourced South Africans. We provide safe community spaces and healthy role models for both toddlers and parents.
Our dedicated team help with transport to clinics for initial assessments and monitoring. Lucky’s mother, too, will be supported and encouraged, so that she can better care for her son. Empower Lucky’s mother.
Individuals can support parents by purchasing beautiful, handcrafted creations from our sustainable income-generation project. Get the details about our dedicated Shop of Hope website launch – coming April 2026.
Make our vision Lucky’s reality: Give a vulnerable child under 5 an awesome childhood. Discover how our caregiver support programme enables positive parenting: read an inspiring father and son story ~ Sanele & Mnotho.
2. Mitigate the Negative Effects of Stunting
Lucky is small for his age. A silent emergency. His mom found Project Hope in the nick of time.
- He is 79 cm tall
- On arrival, he weighed just 9.7 kg.
- His tiny arm measures only 11.7 cm around.
A healthy two-year-old boy should measure 85-90 cm in height and should weigh 9.8-15.1 kg. A mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) of less than 11.5cm (normal 15.5-16cm) indicates severe malnutrition.
Feed a Child ePap Daily
His first 1,000 days are behind him – the pivotal window where stunting occurs. Although he may always be small for his age, Lucky’s resilience will pave the way for intellectual growth. Daily ePap (fortified, nutrient-dense porridge) intake helps mitigate permanent cognitive and physical damage, allowing him to lead a full and happy life.
Provide Food Security
Lucky now eats two balanced meals and a healthy snack at school. To fill out and heal his little frame, he currently receives an adult portion of ePap. He is sent home with an evening meal and sufficient food for weekends and school holidays.
We will monitor Lucky (weight, MUAC, emotional milestones). Revisit his progress in May 2026: ePap Series Part Three. Find out how locally made ePap anchors our holistic ECD approach, read about Olive’s Story in Part One of our ePap Series. Project Hope urgently needs future funding for ePap. Our 6-month bulk supplies will be exhausted in July 2026. Partner with us today.
3. Holistic Nourishment Fuels Curiosity
With a warm meal in his tummy. A soft place to rest. Other children nearby. Caring adults who see him, call him by his name, and are patient with his tender heart. Already, small changes are noticeable.
Now there are moments when a fleeting instant of delight shines through. A gentle giggle. A curious glance. A softness in Lucky’s eyes returns. In these flashes of toddler joy, we are reminded of something simple and true: When a child is held with consistent care and given a place to belong, even the smallest life can grow strong again.
Turn Fear into Creativity
Lucky no longer needs to be afraid of where his next meal is coming from. Holistic nourishment ensures young minds have the opportunity to develop into the critical thinkers and creative individuals our country needs.
CSI Strategic Partners South Africa
We are looking for corporate partners. Make your company’s CSI initiative a commitment to quality future leadership.
Help Scale Our Impact
Invest in our bulk nutritional supplies or infrastructure projects today. Change developmental outcomes for an entire generation. Project Hope is a registered NPC and PBO. We are monitored by Chartered Accountants and SARS and issue Section 18A certificates.
From Dragged Feet to Lively Steps
Humanity’s future can’t run on an empty tummy. Your contribution makes a tangible difference. Whether you’re a Mzansi citizen or a foreign donor, you can turn a frown into a face full of smiles.
Sponsor a child’s meals for a year: Turn fear into creativity, anger into passion, and hunger into an insatiable curiosity.
Switch the tempo for a more positive refrain: Rather than Born to Suffer, we end on The Holly’s song, ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’…
…His welfare is of my concern
No burden is he to bear
We’ll get there…
Thank you for taking the time to read Lucky’s Story.
From the Project Hope Family with Love.
*Lucky – pseudonym and substitute images used for privacy reasons.
Glossary:
CSI – Corporate Social Investment
Kwashiokor – a severe form of malnutrition caused by a chronic lack of dietary protein. Frequently triggered by premature weaning and poverty. Leading to oedema and fatty liver – the ‘pot-bellied’ look.
Lucky Dube – famous South African Reggae Artist
NPC – non-profit company
PBO – public benefit organisation
Stunting – Defined by the WHO as a height-for-age more than two standard deviations below the median. Stunting causes irreversible physical and mental damage, affecting children under the age of five.