Sikhula Sonke Early Childhood Development

• To provide ECD access to children who are not receiving any form of early learning. • Comprehensive provisioning of pre- and post-natal sessions for the first 1000 days. • To provide holistic development to preschool-age children. • To developmentally stimulate children through learning and play interactions in a loving, secure, and playful environment that the community has prepared. • To advocate for children who are excluded from mainstream education for various reasons. • To create a loving, peaceful, and playful environment that allows children to explore without any fear. Outcomes/Results • School-ready children. • Children receive proof of acceptance to local primary schools. • Strengthened capacity of caregivers and fathers in the community. • Mainstreaming disability, i.e., inclusion and support of children with barriers to learning. • Improved child protection strategies. • Increased level of psychosocial wellbeing of parents and revived relationships with their children.

Indicators: • 337 children are consistently reached, inclusive of all safe spaces. • 196 children from the first 1000 days supported and developed using the Growing Together model. • Over 1,000 developmentally appropriate learning materials and games provided. • 8 informal communities reached and serviced. • 90% of caregivers complete trainings and psychosocial support sessions. Project activities (summary) • Recruitment of children and families to outreach services and other programs. • Educational development of children both indoors, outdoors, and via toy library visits. • Assist families with online applications for admission into mainstream schooling. • Provision of training and psychosocial support to families of our primary beneficiaries. • Educational excursions and outings. • Child protection activities. • Conduct PREGRRA - an internal assessment to help improve our curriculum.

Risks and Assumptions Risks: • Parents choose to relocate to other informal settlements where we are not operating, and children are withdrawn from the program. • Crime and theft: these spaces run a risk of being broken into. • Potential loss of learning materials due to theft. Assumptions: • Caregivers will always attend all psychosocial support sessions, support groups, and trainings. • The communities will safely guard the resources we bring and assist in recovering any items stolen. • Fathers in the program will support their partners and continue with Book-sharing activities, taking a more active role in their child’s development.