As 16 Days of Activism kicks off, the high levels of violence against women and children in the country are in the spotlight once again. Recognising women as the powerhouses responsible for protecting our communities, early learning non-profit SmartStart, is calling on South Africa to invest in the success of our country’s matriarchs. By acting as the pillars that support our families and care for our children, women play an integral role in addressing systemic violence – but they need our support.
“Nearly 60% of children in South Africa are not exposed to any early childhood programmes. The women who lead the early childhood development sector have responded to this crisis, by creating safe, affordable childcare venues in underserved communities. Using their homes and community centres, these women are single-handedly providing children with a secure place to develop critical social, emotional, and cognitive developmental skills. This can change the trajectory of a child’s life,” says CEO of SmartStart, Grace Matlhape.
Women still represent the majority of our unemployed population, as a result of years of systemic issues. Up to 38% of all households in South Africa are headed by women, rising to over 45% in some rural areas. These households are particularly vulnerable, because any financial and safety detriment suffered by women, rebounds on other members of the household – usually children.
In lower income areas, parents and caregivers often deal with competing priorities, that either prevent them from being able to find work, or prevent their child from receiving early learning. Either the parent stays at home with their child, which inhibits them from earning a salary, or they leave children at home, unsupervised, or in unreliable hands.
“Women are the main drivers of the ECD sector, and they have had to overcome significant obstacles to be in the position to help develop the country’s children – and their caregivers. Home-based provisioning of early learning is one method of increasing the number of childcare venues nationwide, while allowing women to work with limited resources. This will protect young girls now, and in the future, by equipping them with the skills they need to succeed,” says Matlhape.
With 400 000 potential job opportunities, the early learning sector has the potential to create direct employment and drive social enterprise development for women. It also enables employment for women outside of the sector, by providing them a with a safe place to leave their children while they work.
“There is still significant work to be done to make South Africa a safe space for women and children. We want to acknowledge the strength of women who are helping to create a better future for our children and our communities. While SmartStart plays an active role in supporting their journey to economic empowerment, they are the ones that have the strength, and abilities, to build their early learning enterprises,” says Matlhape.
By creating safe childcare venues, SmartStart brings quality early learning to children in quintiles one and two. Operating as a social franchise, their programme has reached more than 140 000 children since launching in 2015, and equips children between the ages of three and five, to improve their readiness for school, academic performance, and overall life success. By 2030, SmartStart aims to reach one-million children between the ages of three and five annually. For more information, visit www.smartstart.org.za.
