Fund Preschool for 51 Children in South Africa

Hi everyone,

I’m sitting at my desk today looking out at the playground, and I just had to share this moment with you. The sun is streaming in, the school is buzzing, and I honestly can’t stop smiling. It’s one of those days that makes every struggle worth it.

We’ve just had our big graduation, and seeing our older ones head off to big school was such a bittersweet moment—I’m so proud, but I’ll miss their faces! But as they move on, we’ve welcomed our new little ones for 2026. Our family has grown to 46 children now, and seeing the "newbies" settle in with their wide eyes and big dreams is just the best. We’re especially excited to be running a full Grade R class this year!

I have to tell you about the "miracle" room. For the longest time, we had this one classroom that was just heartbreaking. After a bad break-in, thieves stripped the metal taps and cables, causing a massive flood. We couldn't afford the fix, insurance said no, and it was so dangerous we just had to board it up.

Well, the TMF volunteers and Tyrone from Action Change spent October turning that around. They didn't just fix it; they transformed it. Phil donated a laptop, and with a new monitor and speaker, we did something we’ve never been able to do before: we played educational videos. You should have seen the kids' faces is pure magic.

We’ve also had some lovely surprises lately. A crew from Virgin Atlantic and a family from Ireland visited us while on holiday in Cape Town and ended up sponsoring some of our little ones! Plus, we’ve got new books in the library and fancy dress outfits that have made playtime look like a tiny carnival.

But, as always, the reality of keeping them safe is our biggest task. To stop the break-ins, we’ve been "thief-proofing" the place. We’ve replaced all the metal taps with plastic so there’s nothing worth stealing, and we’ve built a secure internal cage to lock up our fridges and computers.

The big goal now is the "Trelli-door" project. They’ve been amazing—sourcing off-cuts and donated materials to bring a $14,650 security quote down to $5,500. It’s a massive saving, but still a huge mountain for us to climb. Once the school is truly secure, our next dream is to turn the old classroom into an indoor/outdoor play haven with astroturf and plants.

We still have eight little ones from single-parent homes waiting for scholarships. I’m so desperate to get them into class so they don’t lose out on this year. For $40 a month or $480 a year, you aren’t just giving a child two meals and an education; you’re literally taking them off the street and giving them a safe place to grow. Please help us and share our program with friends and family and hopefully together we can get them into our safe space very soon!

Looking out at the sun over Siyakhula today, I feel so much hope for 2026. Thank you for being the reason we can keep these doors open.

With so much love and gratitude,

Trina