Support Early Childhood Development Caregivers

Dear Friend of Education Africa,

Hello and thank you for supporting our campaign. We are very grateful and will continue to work hard on our Education Africa Early Childhood Development Project with your help.

As mentioned in our previous report, our Education Africa ECD Team took on blended teaching/training and learning approach with both digital training as well as the use of hard copies for all modules and written work recorded in exercise books due to COVID-19. Hardcopies of the learning materials were provided to the students alongside food parcels, so they could learn and follow along with the trainers online teaching. This blended learning approach has been highly successful, and we are now able to begin in person training again! Starting in September our ECD team and their students returned to their centres in Alexandra, Protea Glen, Braamfontein, Diepsloot and Orange Farm. Strict social distancing measures are upheld with students and trainers temperatures being taken before and after the training to ensure a safe learning environment. We are so proud of both our trainers and their students for adapting so well and remaining committed to improving their futures!

The current landscape of Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in South Africa includes a troublesome combination of undertrained caregivers and limited resources. According to a 2013 ECD Audit, only 10% of children living in Johannesburg between the ages of three and five are enrolled in ECD centres. Many caregivers, despite having years of practical experience, have poor reading, writing, and critical thinking skills -- impeding their ability to plan and manage effective early childhood programming. Without qualified caregivers, the majority of young children in Johannesburg have fallen through the cracks of our society’s care. Education Africa is equipped with the requisite specialised staff, structures and experience to tackle these issues and create meaningful change for South African children. Be part of Making real change Happen by providing Poverty alleviation through Education.

James Urdang

CEO & Founder

Links:

• http://www.educationafrica.org