Kouthar Sambo
Breadline Africa is a non-profit organization that aims at providing educational infrastructure for Early Childhood Development (ECD) in disadvantaged communities.
“We believe that every child has the potential to do something amazing with their life. We want all children to have a fair start in life and to be school ready when they start their educational journeys,” says Johan Nell, Marketing Manager at Breadline Africa.
Furthermore, the organization is deemed to be one of the largest providers of educational infrastructure for poverty relief struck communities and Southern Africa at large.
“We have provided 1 000 units to poverty-stricken communities since its establishment in 1993. Our work is focussed on providing disadvantaged children with safe spaces to learn,” reiterates Nel, who went on to explain that the organization is registered for fundraising in RSA, UK, Ireland, Netherlands, and the USA. According to Nel, funds for projects are obtained through donations from individual donors, corporate sponsorship, trusts, and foundations.
The organization’s latest project, Pooh Bear Educare in Delft, is an ECD center with three infrastructure units installed in the past, explains Nel.
“The project receives support from our partner organization, GROW Educare Centres, which accommodates 130 children, with a huge waiting list of children also hoping to attend. In this campaign with GROW Educare Centres and with funding from Woolworths – MySChool My Village MyPlanet, we have placed another three classrooms, and a new jungle gym, taking our infrastructure facility count to 1 000 units.”
Nel further elaborated on the challenges faced throughout the Pooh Bear Educare project, saying that the organization faced tremendous pressure to complete the project within its stipulated time, deeming it the “flagship project” for Breadline Africa.
“We want to raise awareness about the state of the ECD sector in South Africa. Only 30% of children have access to any early learning programs, and as a result, the majority of our children aren’t school ready when they enter primary school. To ensure a better future for the next generation, we need to first ensure that children have the right tools to start their educational journeys. The idea is to be a non-profit organization with the greatest measurable impact on children and their communities in the ECD sector,” elaborates Nel.
Photo: Supplied
