Western Cape Government Launches Khulisa Care to combat child stunting and improve maternal nutrition
Joint Media Release by Mireille Wenger, Provincial Minister of Health and Wellness and Alan Winde, Premier of the Western Cape
5 August 2025
Western Cape Government Launches Khulisa Care to combat child stunting and improve maternal nutrition
The Western Cape Government officially launched Khulisa Care, a bold new pilot programme aimed at preventing child stunting. Spearheaded by the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness, in partnership with the Department of the Premier and the DG Murray Trust (DGMT). The initiative is a collaborative effort with civil society and the private sector including Grow Great Campaign and Shoprite.
The Khulisa Care programme is designed to break the cycle of malnutrition by targeting three critical groups:
- Underweight pregnant women,
- Women at risk of delivering low birth weight babies (less than 2.5 kg), and
- Mothers who have already given birth to babies born with a low birth weight.
This initiative combines monthly food vouchers for nutritious, protein-rich foods from Shoprite with comprehensive primary healthcare support, delivered through trained community health workers which will be rolled out in 3 geographic areas of the province, 2 urban and 1 rural.
“Too many children in South Africa face the life-long consequences of stunting due to undernutrition in the earliest months of life. Khulisa Care is about giving every child the best possible start and supporting moms from the very beginning,” said Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger.
The odds of stunting at six to 24 months among babies born with a low birth weight are three times higher. They also face a significantly higher risk of death within the first month of life and are more likely to experience developmental delays.
“If we are to grow our province’s economy to support job creation, we must ensure that from an early age our residents are given the support they need and deserve to become active economic citizens,” added Premier Alan Winde. “The Western Cape Stunting Baseline Survey gives us a much clearer understanding of the challenges we must overcome. A key finding was that children who are stunted in the first two years of their life are more likely to score lower on cognitive tests, complete fewer years of schooling, and earn up to 22% less in adulthood. As jarring as this data is, it must serve as a call to action to work harder and closer with our partners in protecting the dignity and wellbeing of our children.”
The pilot programme began rolling out in Worcester in July 2025, with Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain set to follow in the coming weeks. The intake period is expected to span the next three to five months, with participating women receiving support from their first antenatal visit until their child turns six months old.
Nutritional Support and Holistic Care
Eligible women will receive monthly food vouchers redeemable at Shoprite, for a curated basket of ten protein-rich foods identified by the Grow Great Campaign and aligned with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. These include:
- Eggs
- Tinned fish such as tuna and pilchards
- Peanut butter
- Long-life full cream milk
- Dried or canned beans
- Amasi
- Dried Lentils
- Soya mince
- Fortified maize meal
A handy recipe book has been especially developed for these ingredients, ensuing nutritious meals that pregnant or breastfeeding moms need.
“While a variety of factors influences food security and child stunting, cross-sector collaboration and action-driven strategies are critical tools to help fight hunger and improve access to nutrition,” commented Shoprite, who leveraged the innovation and investment in its tech-data ecosystems specifically to enable its support of this pilot programme.
In addition to nutritional support, community health workers will provide:
- Regular growth monitoring of babies,
- Counselling on breastfeeding and infant feeding practices, and
- Education on healthy pregnancies, safe infant care, and immunisation adherence.
“Pregnant women and new mothers need nutritious food as well as support, so that problems can be identified early and they can be linked to the right care timeously. Evidence from Grow Great’s own programmes shows that when community health workers are trained and equipped to support pregnant women and mothers of young children, their children’s growth and development benefit,” says Dr Edzani Mphaphuli, Executive Director of Grow Great.
Identifying and Enrolling Participants
Pregnant women will be screened at public health facilities offering antenatal services. Those who are underweight or at risk of delivering a low-birth-weight baby will be enrolled. New mothers whose babies are born underweight will also be identified at birth or during follow-up visits. Healthcare professionals, such as nurses and midwives, will play a key role in referring eligible women to the programme.
“Khulisa Care combines nutrition and support during pregnancy and after birth to help babies start life well. Research tells us that both components (nutrition and care) are important to promote breastfeeding, healthy behaviours and help babies born with a low birth weight to catch up and thrive,” says Liezel Engelbrecht, Nutrition Lead for the Hold My Hand Accelerator, an initiative incubated by DGMT.
“We are excited to pilot a programme that brings together the strength of government, the generosity of the private sector, and the innovation of civil society,” said Minister Wenger. “Khulisa Care is about building a province where no child is left behind, and every mother is supported.”
Media Queries:
Robyn Thomson
Spokesperson for the Provincial Minister of Health and Wellness
Email: robyn.thomson@westerncape.gov.za
Regan Thaw
Media Liaison Officer to the Premier
083 627 7246
Email: Regan.Thaw@westerncape.gov.za
Shoprite