Nal’ibali began working as a Strategic Implementation partner of the Social Employment Fund, a project started by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), to combat the high unemployment and low literacy rates in South Africa in August 2022.  According to Stats SA, the unemployment rate in South Africa is currently sitting at 32.9%, a 0.2% increase from the fourth quarter of 2022.

To increase employment in the country, the IDC granted Nal’ibali support funding to hire 1,000 previously unemployed people from 90 local municipalities across seven provinces (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Northern Cape, and Western Cape) to share reading materials with families and encourage parents to get more involved in their children’s early learning. From August 2022 to November 2023, over 19,695 children and 4,431 early learning centres around the country have directly benefited from the literacy intervention geared towards ensuring that children start formal schooling prepared to receive literacy skill-building curriculums offered in schools.

Of the 1,130 Nal’ibali SEF participants recruited in August 2022, 220 came from the Limpopo province. Only 20% of the original 220 SEF participants in Limpopo had a post-high school qualification in the form of a degree, certificate, or diploma at the beginning of the project. Four months into the roll-out phase, key role players in the education sector at the municipal level, parents, and teachers attending in-service training at Salitig Training College began noticing the impact of the Nal’ibali Limpopo SEF team.

The work done by teams, specifically within the Greater Mankweng area, outside Polokwane, aimed to change societal behaviour towards literacy through the SEF core objectives which include:

• Creating positive reading habits
• Family literacy interventions
• Early childhood literacy skills to improve reading and writing

The positive contribution of the Nal’ibali Limpopo SEF team to literacy in the Greater Mankweng area prompted Advocate L.R. Malatshi, principal, and campus manager at Salitig Training College, to offer all 220 Nal’ibali Limpopo SEF team members an opportunity to study the 12-month Public Administration NQF level 5 academic course at the college. Out of the 198 members, 193 were able to do the course free of charge through funding from PSETA.

The course aimed to upskill the Nal’ibali Limpopo SEF team in four ways:

• Empower them to carry out their daily duties in various communities (including ECD [Early Childhood Development] story time sessions, family literacy intervention home visits, and community reading clubs).
• Improve their lives and those of their families, enhancing their ability to perform necessary administration and improving their management abilities, and providing a firm foundation for further studies at NQF levels 6 and 7.
• After eight months of studying, 126 SEF participants graduated from the college in Public Administration.

Here is what the Nal’ibali Limpopo SEF team participants who have recently graduated in Public Administration at Salitig Training College have to say about the opportunity.

"The course has motivated me to have hope for what I have always dreamed of, and it has already shown me the path to success. I am very grateful that I can now apply for level 6, and Nal’ibali’s partnership with Salitig College has made this opportunity possible for me." - Thaitha Petunia Motloutsi.

"The course became a life-changing opportunity and a crucial first step towards success. It highlighted the fact that everything in life is possible as long as you put all your effort into it. I am looking forward to upgrading to at least level 6 and pursuing level 7. I've learned that a journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step."- Nhlamulo Shikwambana

"I've gained knowledge of how the public sector operates and have also acquired insights into the workings of different departments across all spheres of government. This has, in a way, provided me with direction regarding which department I want to be a part of in the near future. As a young person, I have come to realize that we need to be more involved for the future generation to receive the best that the public sector can offer. I believe that our involvement can lead to better suggestions and the implementation of beneficial policies.

My aspiration is to be a part of the education department. Having experienced both private and public education, I believe that the public sector can do more for the education department and be on the same level as, if not better than, the private sector. Obtaining this qualification signifies that I am on the right track."- Tlakale Rayner Mogowe Motetema Site

"Having this qualification will open all the closed doors. It has allowed me to knock on doors that I never thought I would. I have started to see the light at the end of the tunnel and begun to believe that a pen is mightier than a sword." Katlego Mapula Kgatle

"I enjoyed the course. I found it well-planned and thoughtfully laid out, making it easy for me to follow. The workload was just right, allowing me to complete everything with ample time to understand the topics without feeling overloaded or rushed. Overall, I appreciated the assignments; they were straightforward and valuable. The knowledge gained from the course will be beneficial, and I can apply it in my future applications. Thank you for the education and insights I acquired during the course. I highly appreciate it." Mike Linison Ralepelle