The Western Cape Government’s Khulisa Care pilot has enrolled 2,027 mothers across key communities as it seeks to reduce child stunting by supporting women from pregnancy until their babies reach six months old, the province reported on Wednesday.
Targeted nutritional support during the first 1,000 days
Launched as a focused intervention in high-need areas including Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain and the Breede Valley, Khulisa Care aims to prevent maternal malnutrition and low birth weight — both recognised contributors to stunting, which can have long-lasting effects on cognition, education and health outcomes.
Premier Alan Winde said the provincial strategy follows a life-course approach, noting that early nutritional support lays the groundwork for healthier children and stronger families. The programme operates from pregnancy until infants reach six months, the critical window when proper nutrition can materially influence a child’s development.
How Khulisa Care works
The pilot is run by the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness in partnership with the Western Cape Office of the Premier, the DG Murray Trust, the Grow Great Campaign and Shoprite. Key elements of the pilot reported by the province include:
- Monthly food vouchers redeemable at Shoprite, prioritising nutrient-dense items;
- Targeting underweight pregnant women and mothers whose infants are at risk of weighing less than 2.5kg at birth;
- Integration with primary healthcare services such as growth monitoring and routine maternal care.
The list of foods specified for voucher redemption includes eggs, beans, fortified maize meal, peanut butter, milk, amasi, pilchards, tuna and soya products — items selected to improve dietary diversity and protein and micronutrient intake during pregnancy and early infancy.
Partners and delivery
Implementation combines public health services with non‑profit and private-sector partners. The DG Murray Trust and the Grow Great Campaign bring technical and community engagement support, while Shoprite supplies a channel for vouchers to reach participating households.
| Programme element | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Monthly vouchers | Provide access to nutrient-dense foods |
| Primary healthcare integration | Growth monitoring and maternal care |
| Community targeting | Focus on high-need areas and at-risk pregnancies |
Scale and evaluation
As of 7 August 2026, 2,027 mothers had been enrolled in the pilot. Provincial officials framed this as an early but positive sign that targeted support can reach vulnerable households where malnutrition and low birth weight are more prevalent.
The pilot is intended to generate evidence about whether combining food support with routine maternal and child health services can reduce the incidence of stunting. The province has not published site-by-site enrolment numbers or an evaluation timetable; further roll‑out will depend on outcomes from the pilot and available resources.
Why this matters locally
Stunting remains a complex challenge in South Africa and elsewhere: its effects are lifelong and cross-sectoral, influencing school performance, labour-market outcomes and long-term health. Interventions in the antenatal period and the first months after birth are considered high-impact because they address critical windows of growth and brain development.
For Western Cape communities such as Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain, where poverty, food insecurity and service pressures co-exist with vibrant civic life, a targeted nutrition and health package may help narrow early-life disadvantages. The inclusion of community-level partners aims to connect clinical services with household food access.
Practical information for eligible mothers
- Khulisa Care enrolment and services are channelled through public health facilities participating in the pilot; mothers should contact their local clinic for eligibility details and verification.
- Vouchers are redeemable at participating Shoprite stores for specified nutrient-dense food items.
- The programme links voucher support with routine antenatal visits and infant growth monitoring until six months of age.
The Khulisa Care pilot is part of a broader provincial shift towards preventative, life-course health investments. As the pilot matures and an evaluation is completed, the Western Cape will need to weigh evidence on cost, reach and outcomes before considering expansion to additional communities.
"By supporting mothers during pregnancy and the first months of their babies’ lives, we are investing in healthier children, stronger families and a better future for our province," Premier Alan Winde said.
The coming months will be crucial for determining whether Khulisa Care’s combination of vouchers and clinical support can deliver measurable reductions in low birth weight and early stunting in the province.
