South Africa cannot grow its economy while its children are being left behind

By Jenny Martin, Managing Director at Compact Food Solutions

As Youth Month draws to a close, South Africa has spent weeks reflecting on the future we want for our young people.

We speak about creating jobs. We debate education outcomes. We discuss youth unemployment, entrepreneurship and economic growth.

Yet there is a critical conversation we continue to overlook: what happens long before a young person enters the workforce, applies for a job, or starts a business.

The foundations of South Africa’s future economy are being built – or broken – in the earliest days of life.

Nearly one in four South African children under the age of five is stunted. While many people assume stunting simply means a child is shorter than expected for their age, the reality is far more concerning. Stunting is the visible sign of deeper developmental challenges caused by chronic undernutrition and poor early-life conditions.

The consequences extend far beyond childhood.

A stunted child is more likely to struggle at school. More likely to experience cognitive delays. More likely to battle with health challenges throughout life. And ultimately, more likely to earn less as an adult.

This is not only a public health issue. It is an economic issue.

Every child who fails to reach their developmental potential represents lost human capital. Multiply that across millions of children and the result is a workforce that is less productive, less innovative and less able to drive economic growth.

The cycle begins long before Grade R.

Too often, conversations about child development start at Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres. While ECD remains critically important, by the time a child enters a classroom, many of the factors that contribute to stunting have already taken root.

The first 1,000 days of life – from conception to a child’s second birthday – represent the most important period of human development.

A mother’s health during pregnancy influences a baby’s growth before birth. Access to adequate nutrition, healthcare, sanitation and support during those early months determines whether a child’s brain and body develop as they should.

When those conditions are absent, the consequences can last a lifetime.

A child who starts life malnourished may enter school already disadvantaged. That child may struggle to learn, complete fewer years of education and enter adulthood with reduced earning potential. Lower earnings often mean poorer living conditions and nutritional challenges for the next generation, perpetuating a cycle that repeats itself across families and communities.

This is how stunting becomes an intergenerational challenge.

And it is why food alone is not enough.

Emerging research increasingly shows that nutrition must be accompanied by adequate healthcare, safe water, sanitation, hygiene and caregiver support. Children need environments that allow their bodies to absorb and utilise nutrients effectively.

Breaking the cycle requires a holistic approach that recognises the complex realities families face.

Government cannot do this alone.

Nor can NGOs.

Nor can corporates.

If South Africa is serious about building an inclusive economy, preventing stunting must become a shared national priority.

Corporate South Africa has a unique role to play.

Businesses invest heavily in developing talent, improving productivity and strengthening future workforces. Yet the future workforce is shaped long before a candidate submits a CV.

Supporting maternal health programmes, investing in early-life nutrition initiatives, strengthening community health partnerships and backing evidence-based interventions during the first 1,000 days are not acts of charity. They are investments in South Africa’s future economic capacity.

The return on investment extends far beyond individual children.

Healthier children become healthier learners. Healthier learners become more capable workers. More capable workers contribute to stronger businesses, more resilient communities and a more competitive economy.

As Youth Month ends, perhaps the most important question we should ask is not how we prepare young people for the future.

It is whether we are giving them a fair chance to reach it.

The future of South Africa’s economy does not begin when a young person enters the labour market.

It begins before birth.

If we want to raise a generation capable of driving growth, innovation and prosperity, we must start where human potential starts in the first 1,000 days of life.

Because when we invest in children early, we are not only raising lives.

We are raising a nation.