Over 81% of Grade 4 learners in South Africa are unable to read for meaning in their own home language, highlighting significant challenges in foundational literacy across the country. The government has initiated reforms, including the compulsory requirement for five- to six-year-olds to start school and the transfer of early learning centres from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education. However, these efforts face challenges, including funding shortages, infrastructure deficits and implementation hurdles.
Recognising the critical importance of early intervention, Rainbow Chicken Limited, in its long-standing partnership with the Do More Foundation (DMF), is committed to addressing these challenges. By focusing on nutrition, education, and community support, their collaborative efforts aim to lay a strong foundation for the country’s youth, ensuring they receive the care and resources they need to thrive.
As the country acknowledges National Youth Month this June, Rainbow’s partnership with the DMF serves as a compelling example of what can be achieved when business and community unite with a shared purpose.
Anchored in the philosophy of ubuntu (I am because we are), Rainbow’s CEO, Marthinus Stander, expressed: “We believe that success lies in our collective growth and the strength of our community. Our partnership with the DMF is about making tangible and transformative contributions.”
Collaborating with the DMF as the primary CSI partner, Rainbow is working to nourish the nation by creating a future where every child has the opportunity to thrive in body and spirit while simultaneously supporting their families and the women-run small businesses in the community, i.e., ECD centres.
Recent data from Unicef reveals that 1.5 million children (1 in 3) are stunted, a condition resulting from malnutrition that damages physical and cognitive development.
Through the DoMore Nutrition Programme, 9,407 children in communities surrounding Rainbow’s key processing plants in Hammarsdale, Worcester, and Rustenburg receive a daily bowl of DoMore porridge. In Worcester alone, 98 ECD centres are supported. In Rustenburg, assistance reaches 60 ECD centres, while in Hammarsdale, 40 ECD centres benefit, complemented by enterprise development initiatives that boost local economies. Rainbow’s nutrition support also extends to Tembisa, Wolwehoek, and Carolina, ensuring porridge and essential resources reach additional high-need communities.
Central to Rainbow’s impact is its support for the Eat Love Play Talk parenting programme. Rainbow and DMF empower parents, caregivers and ECD practitioners with tools to translate national nutrition policy into playful, practical actions. It promotes four pillars of holistic child development, including healthy eating, loving relationships, playful learning, and language growth, helping to create nurturing environments that support children’s overall well-being.
Rainbow has been instrumental in advancing DMF’s Everyone Gets to Play model, which unites government, business, civil society, and nonprofits to co-create a shared vision for South African children. This model, aligned with the National Integrated ECD Policy, focuses on eight baskets of services, comprising early learning, parent and caregiver support, child and maternal health, nutrition and food security, the first 1,000 days, child protection, infrastructure development, and capacity building and leadership.
By focusing on the foundational needs of the country’s youngest citizens, Rainbow and DMF are ensuring that their work addresses immediate challenges, such as hunger and educational deficits, and lays the groundwork for long-term economic participation and social cohesion. With each meal served, each learning opportunity supported, and each local enterprise empowered, these partners collectively plant seeds of resilience, hope, and a brighter future for all.
Danette Breitenbach 5 Jun 2025
Dentsu 23 May 2025
