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Early childhood development-focused NGO gets a helping hand to its Next with our game show
MandyP
Community Coordinator

Early childhood development (ECD) programmes are essential to South Africa’s success; they ensure the potential present in children can be realised and maximised. This not only works , but to our growing economy. The importance of non-profits like Ntataise Lowveld Trust cannot be overlooked or minimised. Specialising in ECD, the Trust has empowered thousands of women throughout the country to help young children build the lives they deserve, and we are proud they were chosen as the weekly winner of Your Next Million’s R50 000 NGO cheque.

 

“We feel so honoured to be this week’s winner,” says Tseli Scharer, Director of Ntataise Lowveld Trust. “Words can never express how extremely grateful and super excited we are! This not only is a great alleviation for our financial needs, but we are ever so happy for the exposure. Though we had our name in the game, the news still came as a pleasant surprise!”

 

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Based in the Mpumalanga, Ntataise Lowveld Trust helps women in disadvantaged rural communities gain the skills and knowledge essential to establish and maintain ECD programmes. According to the non-profit, a child’s early years are the time in which they pick up the concepts, skills and attitudes that can get them to their Next. In other words, this is when the foundation is laid for life-long learning. Ntataise Lowveld Trust also believes that appropriate interventions can reverse the impact of early deprivation due to poverty, maximising the development of a child’s innate potential.

 

To cover both scenarios, the organisation’s mother body, simply “Ntataise”, increases access to good quality ECD programmes through two operations, The Free State Training and Development Programme, and its National Network Capacity-Building and Support Programmes. To date, it has helped approximately 500 000 women encourage and educate children on the road to their Nexts, so it’s fitting that we help the NGO get to theirs.

 

“The winnings are most definitely going to be geared towards achieving our next training programmes,” shares Tseli. “We’re going to equip disadvantaged women from our rural communities with an accredited qualification that will enable them to become employable and financially independent, so they, too, can work towards achieving their Next!” The non-profit’s Director says Ntataise also wants to work towards their Next, which is to have their very own training centre.

“Thank you for your generosity and levelling the playing field for our young children,” says Tseli. There is no way to fully express our gratitude. We are continually inspired by the commitment of donors like Standard Bank South Africa who always answer the call to give and give again to our less privileged communities.”