Equipping teachers to build sustainable preschools and provide holistic, play-based education for children to thrive

I am very happy I met ChildVision. It helped me understand myself and where I am going, and what I want for the children. I have improved my school with better knowledge and more practical ways of working. Now we raise chickens for good food and grow healthy vegetables, which helps the children to learn well. I also learned how to start a small business so we can improve the school and have enough income.

Khanyisani's ChildVision Academy is an exceptional organization dedicated to creating and implementing holistic biblical-based programs aimed at achieving sustainable poverty alleviation among the most vulnerable people in South Africa. Their approach deserves our support, because it helps people in poor regions to overcome their problems by strengthening their own skills and at the same time keeps them responsible for their own lives.

I want to thank ChildVision for the knowledge and confidence I have gained. I came not sure of myself, but now I feel inspired and strong. I learned to care for children with love and respect, and to work together with parents. ChildVision helped me believe that I can do it. It showed me I can start small, grow my centre, and build something for the future while I am still learning. Thank you for opening my mind and giving me courage to move forward.

I want to thank ChildVision for training me in ECD and small business. I learned how to plan my lessons well and manage my classroom with good routine, and now the children learn in a calm and happy space. I also learned positive discipline, and I teach with more confidence now. The chicken and egg training helped me care for chickens and collect eggs for our feeding, and the garden helps us grow fresh food for the children. The business training helped me understand how to manage money and plan for the centre. Through the ECD Imbizo and VSLA, I learned how we can save together and support each other. I also learned to make toys from waste, and the children enjoy them. The Bible teaching reminded me that God must come first, and now we start each day with prayer and a Bible story. This training has helped me in my teaching, nutrition, income, and my Christian life. I am thankful and want to continue learning with ChildVision.

I learned that children must not only be kept, they must learn, and as an ECD practitioner I must guide them and watch how they grow. My ECD training helps me improve my skills and understand the children better. The garden teaches children about nature and responsibility, and it also gives fresh food and helps us save money. The ECD Imbizo brings teachers, parents, and the community together so we can share knowledge and teach parents about a healthy plate. This work has taught me to be patient and to understand each child, because children learn best through play with guidance, and I observe how they develop.

The ChildVision HighScope training helped me understand children better and how to teach them well. Now I feel more confident in my work. We started a vegetable garden that gives us food and some income, and in the ECD Imbizo we learn to save, work together, and teach parents and the community new skills. We also get some money from selling vegetables and doing photocopying and printing. ChildVision’s Christian values help me to work with love and care for the children and their families.

I want to thank God, the sponsors, and everyone who made this programme possible. My prayer is that God will let this programme continue, so it can help many people who want to make a change but do not have the opportunity.

I want to thank ChildVision for the training in ECD, vegetable gardening, egg and chicken production, business planning, and the ECD Imbizo. Before I came, I did not know many things, like how to prepare food properly for children or how to make toys using waste materials. I also did not like gardening, but now I see it is good and important. ChildVision helped correct my wrong understanding and showed me how to teach children in the right way. I also learned that the Bible is important in teaching children and helping them grow well. Farming and business were not things I understood before, but now I see how they help us improve our centre and support the children. I did not know about VSLA or Imbizo before, but now I see how it helps me and the parents to work together. The training was helpful and opened opportunities for growth and learning from others. Thank you for this opportunity. I hope to continue learning with ChildVision in the future.

The training I received from ChildVision changed my life, both in my work and as a person. When I started, I felt excited but also unsure, but I soon saw that ECD is not only about teaching children, it is about understanding how they feel, think, and grow. The training opened my eyes to go deeper, especially in understanding children’s emotions and development, and how they learn through play. Now I see the work differently. I am more aware of each child and how to guide them in the right way. ChildVision has helped me grow, given me direction, and strengthened how I work with children every day.

I attended the ChildVision training in Mpumalanga, and it was very helpful for me. I learned more about how children from 0–5 grow and how they learn through play. This helped me understand how to support them better at my centre. I also learned about vegetable gardening and poultry, which can help with good food and small income for the centre. The ECD Imbizo helped us share ideas and learn from each other. I have already started using what I learned by planting a small garden and doing more play-based activities with the children. This training has made a good difference in my work.