The first five years of a child’s life are crucial, shaping their learning, behaviour, and health. Yet across Cape Town’s townships, thousands lack access to nurturing learning environments during this critical development phase.
This is where Ikamva Labantu’s early childhood development (ECD) programme makes a transformative difference. Through our unique experiential training approach, we empower township preschools to become centres of excellence where school readiness is supported and young minds can truly flourish.
“More than two-thirds of South African students lack basic skills. The education performance gap between rich and poor children demonstrates stark inequality, leaving the poor behind.”
Graduate from our training each year
Graduated in 2023
Between pre-and post-training assessments
Towards achieving government registration
Registered successfully In 2023
In partnership with the Department of Social Development, we provide:
Our model preschool, Kwakhanya in Khayelitsha, demonstrates best practices in early learning. Here, children aged 0-5 receive nurturing care while practitioners observe and learn effective teaching methods.
“Kwakhanya Educare has helped us so much. I didn’t pay for the creche and transport for Liqhawe for 5 years. The food was also provided for them. I am so grateful and thankful for what they did for us who didn’t have means for our children’s early learning”
— Nomthandazo Caroline Ngqeza, grandmother
Our dedicated registration helpdesk guides principals through every step of achieving government compliance. It gives township preschools the credentials to qualify for early learning government subsidies, which they often sorely need to run their daycares effectively and impactfully.
We provide:
Building sustainable preschools through business skills development.
Once this foundation has been laid, our predominantly women trainees return to their daycares, often greatly lacking in resources, and use their new skills and knowledge to adapt, improve, and enhance their teaching.
“I learnt a lot here, like how to help children with ADHD learn better. I have gained a lot of skills I didn’t have before. I didn’t know how to handle children with autism, which I had just last year. I like the way Ikamva trains us as well as how they help us to implement the knowledge in our ECDs.”
“Ikamva has helped me a lot as I never learned anything about children, but now I have a green light on how to work with them. Today, I know how to budget thanks to Ikamva Labantu. I knew nothing about the different levels of children’s growth and reaching milestones. I have learned so much.”
“Ikamva Labantu has taught me multiple skills such as proper planning, organising and conducting activities to help children to develop a wide variety of skills including speech, reading, writing, physical development and social interaction. Today I have my own ECD centre and two practitioners who are working with me to build this dream. Thank you, Ikamva Labantu, you have changed my life.”
“I didn’t know all the basics of being the principal after being a practitioner for seven years. I was not fully equipped for this work, but this training was a serious skills booster. I was taught how to work with parents, staff, as well as the children. Since I came here, I can see changes in my centre such as providing quality education.”
Thank you for supporting the work we do.
Your support can help create lasting change.
Together, we can ensure every child in our township communities has access to quality early learning, setting them up for lifelong success.
