Nurturing South African next-gens from the underprivileged communities

As per the UNICEF report, in South Africa, despite progress in service provision and access for children, the need for a persistent and focused response persists. Over half of the children in the country still live in poverty, one-third of girls face violence before 18, and two-thirds of children qualified for ECD programs lack access to them.

Hence, there is an urgency to help such children in South Africa for a better tomorrow. And this is where Sparking Minds come in. 

Sparking Minds is a non-profit in South Africa that aims to empower young children to live joyous and colourful lives as they prepare for school. As per the organisation, they achieve this by renovating and building crèches, training educators, monitoring the establishments, and providing children’s healthy development equipment. 

Additionally, they fight food insecurity in communities by sponsoring soup kitchens and building vegetable gardens that supply daily meals to hundreds of people and ensure a sustainable food source.

But how the concept emerged

The story behind the crèche dates back three years ago when we started to go every week to a crèche called ‘Born2care’ in the townships of Knysna to teach and play with the little ones.

In November 2016, the crèche’s manager, Emma, found a small house for sale in better condition than the current shed. She sought advice and had enough money to buy the plot, but it was too small. 

So, they planned to extend it to accommodate 50 children aged 0 to 5. The team coordinated and oversaw the renovations using local workers, and the school opened in March of the same year. 

Inspired by this experience, the team established a non-profit organisation called Sparking Minds to enhance the education and conditions for young children’s growth.

So, what they do

The organisation’s primary goal is to promote the social and educational growth of disadvantaged youth in South Africa, with a focus on health and economic empowerment within those communities. 

To accomplish this, the team at Sparking Minds undertake initiatives such as creating safe and hygienic environments for young children by renovating and building crèches, training educators and facilitators, monitoring the establishments, and supplying essential equipment and resources for their healthy development.

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1 Comment

  1. A truly inspiring story of determination and innovation. Ecomak Recyclers is making a huge impact in Uganda by combating plastic waste and providing employment. Kudos to Ronald Mugaiga and team for their efforts in promoting sustainability and supporting those in need. Keep up the great work!

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