The ECD project was initiated by Topsy SA to meet the urgent developmental needs of children in their formative years.  This project encompasses the physical, cognitive, social and language requirements for the very young disadvantaged children living communities within a 70-mile distance of Topsy SA’s centre in Grootvlei.

Studies in Early Child Development show that children in  early learning programmes are more likely to:

• Have improved social and emotional behaviour,

• Break the poverty cycle at a later stage

• Stay in school longer

• Have increased earning potential as adults

There are now some 2,500 children included in the project.

 There are several components in the project, including:

• The provision of a central educational resource library, The 30 under resourced pre-schools and 4 centres for mentally and physically disabled children have access to this Topsy facility

• Regular monthly health checks

• Training opportunities for the staff at the pre-schools

• Monitoring and evaluation of the impact of the training

• Resources for the schools

• School-linked vegetable gardens. These are worked by the schools and people in the communities, providing fresh food for several thousand children and families every month. Topsy provides seeds and the advice of a trained gardener.

 

 

 

 

 

he ECD project was initiated by Topsy SA to meet the urgent developmental needs of children in their formative years.  This project encompasses the physical, cognitive, social and language requirements for the very young, disadvantaged children in the Dipaleseng communities.

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The ECD project includes:

 

• The provision of a central  Topsy Educational Resource Centre.

• 30 under resourced pre-schools and 4 pre-schools for disabled schildren have access to to this centre on a rotation basis.

• Regular health checks for 2500 children in the project

• Training opportunities for the staff at the pre-schools

• Monitoring and evaluation of the impact of the training

• Resources for the schools

• School-linked vegetable garden providing fresh food for the children and families every month

 

Studies in Early Child Development have shown that engagement through early learning programmes give children the best chance of breaking the poverty cycle.

Children who have benefited from ECD projects are more likely to:

 

• Have improved social and emotional behaviour,

• Stay in school later in life

• Have increased earning potential as adults