About Us
Who We Are
At StartWell, we’re a passionate team making a measurable difference in the fight against a specific kind of malnutrition which is the leading cause of child stunting. We don’t just talk about the problem – we take action by designing, producing, and delivering nutrient-rich, ready-to-eat meals directly to vulnerable communities.
Vision & Mission
Our Vision
To eliminate child stunting in South Africa.
Our Mission
To Design, supply and produce nutrient-dense, ready-to-eat meals with a focus on bio-available proteins to growing babies, infants and children exposed to chronic malnutrition.
To educate all stakeholders about the critical importance of daily access to bio-available proteins for a growing baby, infant and child.
Founders Story
I had an urgency upon completing my MBA studies in 2016 to create or invest in a business that could make a positive difference in South Africa. Three years later, in 2018, an incredible opportunity presented itself that could potentially be the answer to my quest. I was offered the chance to acquire a food factory that produced “nutritious feeding scheme meals” for thousands of children across the country.
Digging deeper into the company’s product range was disheartening. Although the food factory made great profits, the nutrient content of the meals was questionable. The breakfast meals served to children were mainly maize based porridge loaded with sugar, salt, and added vitamins. For lunch there was flavored soy with a starch. Any dietitian would describe the meals as energy-rich but nutrient-poor. The recipes lacked essential nutrients like animal source proteins. I was further shocked to realize that the questionable meals but so-called “super nutritious breakfast and lunch servings” dished to deprived growing children were unlikely to ever reach the plates of the same aged children growing up in middle and high-income households. This is wrong and scewed.
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Determined to make a change, I founded the StartWell Foundation in 2018. The aim of this legal structure was to shift more focus towards achieving nutrition benefits for its beneficiaries – growing children (in contrast to a private food processor always prioritizing focus towards shareholder interests).
I soon realized that we needed our own Food Extrusion Plant to design and produce nutrient-rich meals at the lowest possible cost. Through many appeals to philanthropists and donors, the required capital funding was secured in 2020 to commission a customized food extrusion plant.
The StartWell Foundation became one of the very first not-for-profit organizations to produce its own meals in its own factory. Thanks to our team’s hard work and dedication, the StartWell Foundation made great strides in improving the quality of meals provided to children across the country. I believe we are well on our way to build crucial partnerships which will yield a positive impact on early childhood nutrition in South Africa.
Our Team
Board of Directors
Org van der Wath
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BA Languages (NWU), MBA (University of Stellenbosch), Nutrition Executive (Gain)
George (Org) is a South African entrepreneur and businessman. He started his career as a schoolteacher in 1992, but his entrepreneurial interests soon led him to the private and later also corporate sector.
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After completing an MBA at the Stellenbosch Business School in 2016 and conducting a study researching the small farming industry in South Africa, he became intensely aware of the dangerous levels of stunting and critical shortcoming in the nutritional value of sponsored meals to the poor and underprivileged communities in South Africa.
In 2017 he bid a successful corporate career farewell and became involved full-time in developing nutritious meals and finding innovative and cost-effective ways to ensure deprived growing babies, infants and toddlers receive well-balanced ready-to-eat meals at creches and ECD's they attend.
Nyasha Madavo
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CA(SA), PGDA (UCT), BBusSc (UCT), Certified Director (IoDSA)
Nyasha is a dynamic finance executive, entrepreneur, and governance professional with over 15 years of experience spanning audit, accounting, enterprise risk, and financial strategy. She is known for her results-driven approach and commitment to sustainable business practices and inclusive economic development.
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A Chartered Accountant and Certified Director, Nyasha began her career at Deloitte, working in both South Africa and Canada across audit and risk advisory. She later served as CFO of Black Umbrellas, a leading enterprise and supplier development organisation, where she strengthened financial performance, governance, and risk frameworks to support SMEs across the country.
In 2020, she founded Sapientis Advisory, a boutique firm offering finance, risk, and business advisory services to both corporate clients and SMEs. Nyasha also runs a women’s clothing brand, exemplifying her entrepreneurial spirit and creative versatility.
She is the co-founder of Tenya Foundation NPC, which provides reusable sanitary pads and education to girls in under-resourced communities. Through its GirlPowerVibes initiative, the foundation has already distributed over 3,300 sanitary pads with a five-year lifespan, helping keep girls in school and advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 5.
Nyasha has been recognised as a finalist for the SAICA Top 35-under-35 award and featured on the cover of CFO Magazine South Africa. She is passionate about supporting high-impact initiatives, especially those that address youth development and gender equity.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, exercising, and traveling with her husband Terry, family, and friends.
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BSc Biodiversity and Ecology, MBA (cum laude) Social Entrepreneurship (University of Stellenbosch Business School)
Will Coetsee is a passionate entrepreneur focused on social entrepreneurship which combines ecology, indigenous culture and business principles to create products and services in developing countries.
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Having graduated with a BSc degree in biodiversity and ecology in 2003, he started working for his family business, the Mogalakwena Group in rural Limpopo.
In 2010 he graduated with an MBA (cum laude) in social entrepreneurship from the University of Stellenbosch Business School. Since 2013, he has been Managing Director of Botanica Natural Products, which is a social enterprise that produces plant extracts, oils and powders for personal care applications and nutritional benefits.
Rhett Finch
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CA(SA), PGDA (UCT), BAcc (Stellenbosch)
Rhett is a visionary business leader and former CEO of King Price Life, where he helped grow the company from a R100 million start-up into a R6 billion industry disruptor. With a passion for financial justice and purpose-driven innovation, he brings deep expertise in financial strategy, insurance, and business growth.
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During his 12-year journey at King Price, Rhett served as Group CFO, Deputy Group CEO, and CEO of King Price Life. In these roles, he led strategic initiatives that made insurance more accessible and affordable, built high-performance teams, and scaled operations while staying true to a mission of impact and fairness.
Earlier in his career, Rhett honed his financial and analytical skills at Deloitte in Johannesburg and New York. Today, his focus has shifted toward protecting consumers from reckless lending, challenging oversold life insurance, and helping build a fairer financial system.
He is also a passionate advocate for early childhood nutrition and development, supporting StartWell’s mission to end child stunting and unlock the full potential of South Africa’s next generation.
Outside the boardroom, Rhett is a competitive triathlete, a recognized artist, and a firm believer in the power of balance and purpose in leadership and life.
Dr Rethabile Melamu
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
PhD Chemical Engineering (University of Cape Town)
Dr Rethabile Melamu is a dynamic and self-motivated professional; she obtained her PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cape Town.
She is currently the CEO of the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA).
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Before that she was the General Manager for the Green Economy Unit at the Innovation Hub and before that the acting Chief Director: Sector and Industry Development in the Gauteng Department of Economic Development.
She has more than a decade’s experience in the green economy sector, spanning renewable energy and waste management sectors. She has experience in developing public sector strategies, and has led the revision of the Gauteng Energy and Green Economy strategies. She has vast research experience in the technology innovation field as it pertains to critical elements that contribute to success of emerging technologies in a developing country context including enterprise development of clean tech start-ups.
She has published and delivered reports and academic articles in her fields of expertise including for the OR Tambo Debate Series based on Chapter 5 of the South African National Development Plan.
She was a finalist in the caterory of Outstanding Woman of the Year in the Power and Water category at the 2017 premium African Utility Awards. In 2019, Dr Melamu was honoured by Mail & Guardian as one of the Women Changing South Africa in the Politics and Government category.
Dr Melamu sits on a number of Advisory Boards in the academia and enterprise developments sectors.