Cape Town, Wednesday, 17 July 2024 – Nal’ibali Trust and implementing partners, Mikhulu Trust, Sunshine Association, and Macmillan Education, launched the Siyafunda Community Learning Hubs project, a new early childhood development project aimed at enhancing school readiness in Umsunduzi Municipality, KwaZulu Natal. This initiative is supported by the USAID to strengthen and build community support for early learning to ensure that more children aged 0-6 years old in the Msunduzi Municipality start primary school with the skills and knowledge they need to learn and thrive.
The Thrive by Five Index (2021), the largest survey of preschool child development ever undertaken in South Africa, shows that only 45% of children aged 4 to 5 years, and KZN making 31% of that number who attended learning programmes meet the learning standards and could successfully complete age-appropriate assessment tasks. This means that most children start school at a significant disadvantage in terms of the skills known to be associated with academic achievement in the Foundation Phase.
The project aims to address this issue by enhancing fine motor skills, early literacy language, and attention skills, with a specific focus on play-based learning and early language and literacy skills.
“This project will bring about opportunities to strengthen and build community support for early learning to ensure that more children in the Msunduzi Municipality start primary school with the skills and knowledge they need to learn and thrive," said Nelisiwe Zondi, Project Lead.
Between July 2024 and February 2026, the initiative will train 350 Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners and day mothers, and 800 caregivers to promote school readiness for 350 children. The project will operate from 10 community hubs which are Vulindlela South, Vulindlela North, Imbali, Edendale, Northern & Central Areas; and has created employment for 46 locally based staff who have been trained by partners to implement training and mentor participants.
Participants will receive isiZulu children's books, reading supplements, play kits, and learning materials. Training will include language and literacy development, mentorship, play-based learning, and early learning activities specifically for children with disabilities or developmental delays. The project also involves parental support meetings and digital support platforms, as well as the development of a collection of isiZulu training videos and edutainment videos which are screened at hubs as part of parental meetings, as well as a selection of isiZulu radio stories to be aired by community radio stations.
"This initiative provides essential resources and training while fostering a supportive community environment," emphasised Dr Gabrielle Kelly, Head of Research, Impact, and Innovation at Nal’ibali.
The USAID-Siyafunda Community Learning Hubs launch began on 8 July and continues until 19 July 2024, with hubs opening in various regions of Umsunduzi Municipality.
About Siyafunda Community Learning Hubs
Siyafunda Community Learning Hubs is an early childhood development project aimed at strengthening community support for early learning, sponsored by USAID and implemented by Nal’ibali, Mikhulu Trust, Sunshine Association, and Macmillan Education.