Help educares give SA children the start they need

Early Childhood Development (ECD) in South Africa faces deep structural challenges. Nearly 60% of ECD programmes operate without proper registration, while close to two-thirds of children aged 0–5 grow up in the poorest 40% of households. Alarmingly, 1.3 million children aged 3–5 have no access to structured early learning.

Over our seventeen years in the sector, we have seen committed Principals and Practitioners who want to run quality, compliant centres but lack access to the training, guidance, and practical support needed to do so.

With this in mind, we are very excited that in 2026, the Starting Chance Trust enters an exciting new chapter with the official launch of the Starting Chance Inclusive Training Facility and the Sakha IThemba Inclusive Educare Centre (We Build Hope). Both facilities will be housed in one purpose-built site on School’s Street in Ward 114, Mfuleni. Designed to state-of-the-art standards rarely seen in low-income communities on the Cape Flats, this facility marks a significant investment in quality, dignity, and innovation within the early childhood development (ECD) sector.

A Centre of Excellence for ECD Practice

A key feature of the facility is an observation room with a one-way mirror, which will enable practitioners and principals from Mfuleni and beyond to observe high-quality teaching, learning and examples of good governance in practice. This strengthens Starting Chance’s role-modelling approach and positions the site as a Centre of Excellence in ECD.

The Inclusive Training Facility will host specialists and experts whose work supports the three core building blocks of child development: literacy, numeracy, and life skills. Through training, workshops, and mentorship, the facility will continue to build practitioner capacity across communities.

Sakha IThemba Inclusive Educare Centre

Alongside the training facility, Starting Chance will launch Sakha IThemba Inclusive Educare Centre, a school that showcases the full impact of the organisation’s Classroom and Learning Management (CALM) framework. The school will model how ECD centres in low-income communities can create safe, well-managed, and stimulating learning environments. Sakha IThemba is intentionally an inclusive school, with programmes designed to encourage meaningful interaction between children with special needs and children in mainstream settings. As part of this approach, children from Lonwabo Special Care and Tangram Academy will visit Sakha IThemba once a month to participate in shared learning and play-based activities, promoting inclusion, empathy, and social connection from an early age. The school will also demonstrate effective governance, supported by an active School Governing Body and strong community involvement.

Leadership and Timeline

Sakha IThemba will be led by Principal Noma-efese Nodliwa, supported by practitioners Nozipho Ndarala, Amahle Tima, and Nomzamo Torato-Ngqola, with professional guidance from Starting Chance Educational Specialist Mrs. Nombulelo Dingiso.

The school will officially commence on 2 February 2026. The first quarter will be hosted at Lonwabo Special Care, while construction of the permanent facility is completed in mid-February 2026. Parents are warmly invited to the Sakha IThemba Open Day on 31 January 2026, where they will learn more about the school and its programme for the year. ‘

Starting Chance looks forward to this new wave of growth as it deepens its impact and continues to improve the lives of children aged 0–6 years through quality, inclusive early learning.

Please consider joining us in this new chapter. We would be hugely grateful for donations to support this exciting venture.

Links:

• Starting Chance website