A pilot programme tackling stunting in parts of the Western Cape has enrolled over 2 200 women since it began in August 2025.
Khulisa Care — “to grow” in isiXhosa — gives underweight and at-risk pregnant women, and mothers of low-birth-weight babies, monthly nutrition support from Shoprite, alongside targeted primary healthcare from trained community health workers.
Spearheaded by the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness, the Department of the Premier and DGMT, the programme operates in Breede Valley, Khayelitsha and Mitchell’s Plain.
“Khulisa Care recognises that preventing stunting starts early, including during pregnancy. This ensures that every child starts well. By combining nutrition support with strengthened primary healthcare and community-based support, we are helping families in the Western Cape give their babies a healthier start while also learning what approaches could strengthen maternal and child health services in the future,” says Dr. Hilary Goeiman, the Director of Service Priorities Coordination (SPC) at the provincial Department of Health and Wellness.
What does Khulisa Care do?
The programme targets women at risk of giving birth to low-birth-weight babies and mothers who already have. Without adequate breastfeeding from birth and complementary feeding from six months, these infants are more likely to become stunted. But a nutritious diet during pregnancy lowers the odds of a low-birth-weight delivery in the first place.
“Development in the womb — how a child’s brain and body grow — depends on what their mother could afford to eat while pregnant. Malnourished mothers are more likely to give birth to babies who are too small, have weaker immune systems and face a higher risk of stunting,” says Bonnie Evert, Hold My Hand Close The Food Gap Programme Manager.
“The consequences of stunting extend into adulthood. Due to impaired cognitive development, they perform poorly at school, struggle to find work or end up in low-paying jobs,” Evert concludes.
How does the programme work?
Women receive support on two fronts. The first is direct nutrition support. Eligible mothers receive a R525 monthly benefit loaded onto their Shoprite Xtra Savings card, redeemable for a basket of 10 protein-rich and fortified foods. The benefit cannot be spent on anything else. Eggs, long-life full-cream milk and peanut butter are among the items mothers reach for most often. Redemption rates have strengthened as mothers have grown familiar with how the programme works. There have been over 9000 successful transactions as of 14 September 2026.
The second is stronger primary healthcare support. Community health workers visit regularly, offering guidance on breastfeeding, maternal mental health, growth monitoring, immunisation adherence and how to navigate the public health system. That support runs from pregnancy until a baby is six months old. Referral systems are working: In Khayelitsha and Mitchell’s Plain, 95% of enrolled mothers were referred to a community health worker for additional support.
The programme has been extended to December, giving Khulisa Care more time to reach mothers, and more time to build the evidence of its impact to inform wider policy reform.
