While the teachers at Sigagule had no lack of enthusiasm and empathy, they hadn’t previously had access to formal teacher training. We were able to sponsor them to improve their skills, alongside teachers from other rural pre-schools close to Royal Malewane.
This meant that the teachers could bring in a more structured early childhood development (ECD) curriculum, helping to prepare the learners for starting primary school.

Any teacher will tell you that even the brightest kids can’t focus when their tummies are empty, so we’ve also implemented a guaranteed meals scheme. Our latest addition to the crèche is the organic vegetable garden, for which we provided seedlings. The fruits of these labours will make the kids’ meals more nutritious, and also give them a hands-on lesson in how plants grow.
Adding extra fruit and vegetables to their meals means that the children are now getting more of the vitamins and nutrients they need, boosting their energy levels and capacity to absorb new information.
We were also able to provide mattresses for the kids to take afternoon naps on – in such a stimulating environment, very young children can become overwhelmed, and tired minds and bodies need to take the occasional break!