South African netball player Bongiwe Msomi partners with giant cosmetic brand to help feed children

Renowned netball player Bongiwe Msomi is collaborating with skincare company, Environ Skin Care to start a feeding programme, EnvironCares Feeding Programme. More than 200 000 meals were provided when the programme launched in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban recently.

According to the company, approximately 1500 children will receive a fortified nutrient-rich porridge meal, packed with essential vitamins and minerals, five days a week.

These meals are donated to Grow Early Childhood Development (ECD) partner centres in those three areas.

Environ’s chairman and director, Val Carstens said the reason the company started this programme was raise awareness around the impact of nutrient deficiencies in early childhood development.

Msomi was made the official ambassador for the programme aims to leverage her inspiring influence and passion for childhood development to strengthen and bring awareness to the cause.

The EnvironCares Feeding Programme was launched in 2020 during the Covid pandemic. Most of the children come from impoverished communities where these ECDs hardly receive much funding or donations, they are mostly run from charging school fees but not all parents can afford to pay.

“Environ has spent more than 30 years researching the science of skin and the nutrition it needs to be healthy-looking, functioning optimally and ultimately beautiful for a lifetime. We recognize the role of replenishing essential vitamins to correct damaging deficiencies. This same parallel exists when it comes to early childhood development. Essential nutrition is important for children to be able to grow, learn and perform at their best. I’m delighted to continue the EnvironCares Feeding Programme this year and help address the very prevalent issue of ‘hidden hunger’,” Val
Carstens explained.

Msomi said fife is only meaningful when knowledge is passed on to help others grow. “It’s an honour to support the EnvironCares Feeding Programme and shine a light on critical aspects of early childhood development. This is particularly close to my heart. Interacting with some of the children in person, spending playtime with them and watching them enjoy their delicious porridge at school has been incredibly special for me,” she said.

Editor’s note: More than 200 000 meals were provided when the programme launched in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban recently. This translates that more than 200 000 children will now go to bed on a full stomach.

Description: Renowned netball player Bongiwe Msomi is collaborating with skincare company, Environ Skin Care to start a feeding programme in three provinces in South Africa.

Editor: Thato Mahlangu
Project manager: Do4SA