Stunting in children remains an invisible crisis in SA, but a new pilot is offering a holistic approach that supports both mother and child.

A child's circumstances at birth, where they are born, their family income, and whether their mother can afford nutritious food during pregnancy, should not determine that child's chance at a healthy future.

Over the past five years, food and nutrition insecurity have risen sharply. Escalating living costs, food prices and limited access to affordable nutritious food have deepened hardship for millions of households. Most concerning is what this means for children.

The most recent Food Forward SA Household Food Insecurity Report paints a worrying picture. Millions of South Africans are experiencing hunger or severe food insecurity, with children disproportionately affected.

In the Western Cape, 17.5% of children under five are stunted, while among children under two this rises to nearly one in five. Stunting, which permanently affects cognitive development, educational outcomes and long-term health, remains one of South Africa's most urgent but often invisible crises. The lasting impact it has on future opportunities threatens to create a vicious cycle of poverty.

If we believe that every child deserves a fair opportunity to live a healthy life and to reach their full potential, then we cannot ignore the conditions shaping health long before a child enters a classroom or...