Thirty educational play packs donated to ECD centres
Do More Foundation and RCL Foods Grocery in Randfontein collaborate to distribute play packs to under-resourced and early-development centres for Mandela Day.
The Do More Foundation, in collaboration with RCL Foods Grocery in Randfontein, have united their efforts to distribute 30 play packs containing toys made from upcycled household materials to early childhood development (ECD) centres in the area, as part of their Mandela Day initiative.
This initiative, known as Built to Play, forms a significant aspect of the foundation’s broader Mandela Day campaign, which involves over 40 businesses and organisations collectively creating toys for 255 ECD centres across South Africa, benefiting approximately 12 500 children.
• Also read: #Mandela Day: Mayor all hands on deck in different communities
Each play pack is thoughtfully curated and includes engaging items like puppets made from socks, vibrant characters crafted from plastic bottle tops, and counting fish constructed from cardboard packaging. Designed by Singakwenza, an NPO specialising in caregiver training, these toys facilitate fun and educational play, allowing young children to develop essential foundational skills through recycling-based resources.
According to a statement issued by the foundation, the selection of play pack contents is purposeful, targeting various areas of ECD, including gross motor coordination, fine motor and visual coordination, cognitive and executive functioning, and more. These areas are particularly critical as a significant percentage of SA children face challenges in these domains.
• Also read: Old age home showered with donations on Mandela Day
Alarming statistics from the Thrive by Five Index 2022 further indicate that more than half of SA children aged 4 and 5 years, attending early learning programs, struggle to meet expected learning tasks for their age group. Furthermore, the recently released 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study revealed a disheartening reality – 81% of Grade Four learners in SA lack reading comprehension skills in any language. ECD lays the foundation for reading skills, emphasising the crucial importance of stimulating learning and play materials.
• Also read: Palm Estate employees donate blood for Mandela Day
“Through play, children learn to draw conclusions, reason, generate creative ideas, and develop patience. Play also helps children understand and process their emotions, teaching them valuable skills in managing anger, sadness, and grief. Additionally, playing fosters confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of identity in children. Recognising these benefits, the foundation encourages individuals to contribute by creating toys through the upcycling of waste materials, thereby helping children learn through play even beyond Mandela Day,” a statement issued by the foundation reads.
