Transform 7 South African Preschools for 450+ Kids

Dear Friends,

Today, we are proud to introduce you to Alwaba!

When Alwaba was 3 years old, her parents enrolled her at Second Creek Daycare Center in East, London, South Africa. They both worked full time, and were lucky to have the option of a quality daycare center in their community, which is not always available in low-resourced areas in South Africa. Approximately 72% of children in South Africa’s Province of the Eastern Cape live in impoverished communities, and just 28% of children ages 0 to 4 attend daycare outside the home.

Second Creek is one of the 7 daycares that form part of the Community Early Childhood Development Network, initiated by South Africa Partners and our sister-organization, Masibumbane Development Organization. At Second Creek, Alwaba was cared for by teachers that receive specialized training in Early Childhood Development, along with mentorship, on-site coaching, and essential learning materials to create engaging learning experiences. These teachers are dedicated to ensuring that their students develop the critical skills they need in their early years in order to succeed in school later on. We see our investment in them as the key to transformation in not only their preschools, but in their larger communities.

Alwaba is now 9 years old and is a grade 3 student at the A.W. Barnes Primary School. She is a star student who is passionate about learning and is excelling with her studies. Her teacher recently remarked on her emerging leadership abilities, "Alwaba is able to work well with her group and can also lead the class! She is also a strong player on the school netball team".

Alwaba is a great example of how young children can thrive when they receive quality early education from dedicated teachers. She has a good future ahead of her and recently told us that she wants to become a doctor so she can help sick people!

We want to offer our sincerest thanks for all of your support along the way, to make programs like the Community Early Childhood Development Network possible. Your generosity allows for South Africa Partners to be able to identify, support, and fund efforts which most directly improve the lives of children growing up in South Africa. Thank you!

With appreciation,

The South Africa Partners Team