Empower 1300 kids through sport & education

This year has marked a significant step forward for VUSA as we continue working to address one of the greatest barriers facing children in our community: foundational literacy and numeracy development.

Following the success of our Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme, we officially launched the VUSA SEED Afterschool Programme. SEED focuses on foundational English, literacy and numeracy support for children who have fallen behind academically and need additional intervention to catch up and regain confidence in the classroom. The decision to expand this programme came directly from the results we are seeing on the ground. Independent ELOM assessments conducted by DataDrive compared our children’s outcomes against both national and provincial benchmarks. Across every developmental domain measured, VUSA children significantly outperformed comparison groups, particularly in emergent literacy, numeracy, cognition and executive functioning. Most encouraging was the overall ELOM score, where 95% of our children were considered “On Track,” compared to national and provincial averages well below this figure. These results reinforce what we have long believed: when children receive the right support early enough, they are capable of extraordinary growth. The success of the ECD SEED programme has now led to a far bigger vision. Beginning in July 2026, VUSA will start rolling out SEED into all five primary schools we support, initially focusing on Grade R learners. In 2027, the programme will expand through to Grade 3 level. Our hope is that by strengthening foundational learning in the early years, children will be better prepared for the critical language transition that takes place in Grade 4, when many learners move from learning in their home language to learning in English. This intervention will also strengthen the impact of our Digibus programme, where children begin engaging more deeply with digital literacy, reading and coding.

Alongside our academic growth, our rugby programme continues to create incredible opportunities for children. Our Under 13 girls’ team recently won a tournament in Somerset West over the Easter holidays, while our Under 13 boys are preparing for a rugby tour to Gqeberha in June, where they will play against the Kolisi Foundation and other local teams. These opportunities expose our children to new environments, build confidence, and remind them that they belong in spaces they may never previously have imagined themselves accessing.

Over the past seven years, VUSA has grown from an organisation supporting 160 children into one that will soon reach close to 3,000 children across our ECD, in-school and afterschool programmes. With that growth comes greater responsibility. As the organisation expands, so too must our systems, governance and operational capacity. We are currently restructuring our management and operational framework to ensure that VUSA remains sustainable, accountable and professionally managed and look forward to welcoming our new Operations Manager, Natasha Mentoor, to the team.

While we are deeply encouraged by the impact we are seeing, we are also aware of how much work still lies ahead. Thank you for continuing to walk this journey with us and for believing in the potential of the children we serve.

Until next term, thank you for being part of the VUSA story.

Kind regards

Nikki Matthews

CEO

Links:

• VUSA First Term Newsletter

Start of Year Update

As we begin the year, our spaces are once again filled with noise, movement, questions, and possibility. Across our ECD centres, afterschool programme, and Digibus classrooms, around 1,400 children are now registered and taking part in learning and sport each week. It is a privilege to start another year alongside so many young people who show up with resilience, curiosity, and determination, often in the face of real challenge.

Our latest academic assessments show steady improvement, which we are encouraged by. At the same time, we remain honest about where we are: overall academic standards are still well below where they need to be. This reality reflects the broader education context our children are growing up in, and it sharpens our focus. If children are going to move beyond the limits imposed by inequality, education has to be strengthened early and consistently.

While rugby continues to be the drawcard that brings children into our programmes, academics are what will ultimately open doors. This year, we are intentionally shifting more energy, resources, and leadership into academic development.

We are particularly excited to be expanding our SEED programme, which runs in our afterschool programme as a structured follow-on from the ESL work done in our ECD centres. SEED supports children through Maths, key curriculum topics (including Life Orientation), and mediation, helping them develop both academic skills and the social and emotional tools needed to cope with school demands. We have already seen strong gains in confidence, engagement, and learning outcomes, and we are excited to formally embed SEED into our core curriculum this year..

We are also pleased to welcome a new Head of Academics, a key appointment as we work to improve curriculum planning, assessment, and academic support across all programmes. If South Africa is ever going to experience greater equality, we need to invest far more deeply in education, and this role reflects that commitment.

Next week also marks the start of our Digibus programme for a new cohort of Grade 4 learners. For many, this will be their first experience learning on laptops. Grade 4 is a demanding transition year, as children move from learning in their mother tongue to learning in English, while navigating a heavier workload that includes content subjects and formal assessments. The Digibus supports children through this critical phase, helping them build academic confidence, digital literacy, and the skills needed to stay engaged at school.

Looking ahead, we are hoping to raise funds to take our Under 13s on a rugby tour in June. Tours provide more than sport. They expose children to new environments, build independence and teamwork, and reward commitment to both academics and training. For many of our children, it would be their first opportunity to travel beyond their immediate community.

Please also take a moment to view our end-of-year newsletter, linked below, which captures the energy and range of activities from a packed and inspiring final term of 2025.

At a time when the world can feel unsettled, your support continues to make a very real difference in the lives of children who need consistency, care, and opportunity. Thank you for your generosity, your belief in this work, and for walking this journey with us.

Links:

• Newsletter
• VIDEO