SmartStart bridging the gap in access to early learning
The organisation recently launched a new branch in Gauteng and the launch event, took place at the Yetta Nathan Community Centre in Orlando West.
In an effort to close the gap in access to early learning, SmartStart recently launched a new branch in Gauteng. The launch event, took place at the Yetta Nathan Community Centre in Orlando West on Wednesday, November 17.
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It highlighted the organisations’ role in empowering women in local communities to offer early learning programmes to children aged three to five. The event was attended by, Director of the Department of Basic Education, Phumelele Tloubatla, Director of the Department of Social Development, Keba Ntwampe, City of Johannesburg Acting Executive Director of Social Services, Nkele Moumakwa, ECD Forum Chair, Lorato Duma as well as Soweto residents.
Speaking at the event, SmartStart CEO, Grace Matlhape, emphasised the importance of early learning for childhood development. “Studies have shown that a solid investment in early learning plays a significant role in whether or not a child grows into their full potential.
The first five years of a child’s life are crucial to developing social, cognitive, emotional, and language skills that form the foundations for learning, school performance and overall life success,” Matlhape said. The new branch aims to address the shortage of ECD centres in Gauteng and expand NPO’s footprint to reach more families.
The NPO recruits, licenses, and supports community members to launch and run early learning social enterprises. To date, they have trained just under 9 000 people to provide early learning services to the benefit of over 100 000 children across the country.
“Our message to the Soweto community is that we see you and we’re here to support you. In other geographic areas, we have agreements with franchisers who represent existing ECD services and NPOs to train practitioners. The new branch will take over this role in Gauteng and allow us to roll out the programme and provide resources directly to the community, bring in more practitioners, and help more children,” Matlhape said.
Launched in 2015, SmartStart and its practitioners provide a holistic early learning programme that takes into account the realities of the South African context
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