News

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to reverse progress made for children in Africa by years or even decades, with economic aftershocks risking to push an additional 33 million children into poverty.

Save the Children South Africa (SCSA) calls for unified efforts to protect children from the heightened risk of violence, exploitation and abuse during the COVID-19 outbreak. Since the start of the lockdown there has been a reported spike in child abuse.

Save the Children South Africa (SCSA) welcomes the phased-in approach on the reopening of schools. The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, announced on Thursday that Grade 7 and 12 learners will return to school on the 1^st of June. The prolonged closure of schools is a risk to the children’s education and wellbeing, especially for the most vulnerable children, who rely on school not only for their education, but also nutritious meals. 
 

NIAWG commends the Department of Social Development in its extended and progressive effort to provide relief through food parcels, top-up grants, Social Relief of Distress Grant and special COVID- 19 Social Relief Distress Grant. However, we are concerned about the limitations in the eligibility criteria required to access these grants. Application for these forms of relief have required a South African identity document, in some cases are available to refugees and permanent residence permit holders.

Save the Children South Africa (SCSA) & the DO MORE FOUNDATION, founded by RCL FOODS, have begun the distribution of food aid in several identified communities in South Africa, that have higher rates of poverty. The communities include Eesterust and Mamelodi. The beneficiaries are families with children who are dependent on early childhood development centres and school feeding schemes for nutritious meals. 

Save the Children South Africa (SCSA) welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to temporally increase the child support grant. On Tuesday Ramaphosa announced that beneficiaries “will now receive an extra R300 in May and from June to October they will receive an additional R500 each month”.