The proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”, is deeply ingrained in the African culture. Neighbourly intervention in a child's misbehaviour is a norm, and children may freely visit neighbours’ homes, and if a family is eating, the child will be warmly welcomed to join the meal, even without an invitation – it doesn’t matter if they prepared enough food or not, they will always have something to share. Resource sharing is an important aspect of communal spirit, prioritizing care irrespective of socioeconomic status. Think of knocking on your neighbour’s door at 8pm to borrow salt.

The sugarcane fields seemed like the perfect place to disappear – or so Grace hoped. She ran through the rows of canes, which arched high above her head and blocked out everything except bits of sunlight. She wasn’t very far away; the sugarcane farm stood next to the home she lived in with her family. But Grace wasn’t hiding in the fields as a game – she was hiding to survive.

A nutritious, diverse diet has untold power in the life of a child. Food empowers children to learn in school, fuels their bodies to grow and develop, and reduces the risk of disease. 

Food insecurity often acts as a barrier to these things. Baba Nyumbani staff understand the importance of nutritious meals, especially for children who often come into our care undernourished and malnourished.