A Mother in Awe as Her Daughter Finds Her Voice Through ECD

Photo Credit: Supplied by Clayton Morar on behalf of Do More Foundation

As a parent of a child attending a Do More Foundation-supported ECD centre in Tlhabane, Rustenburg, Thorofaso has seen her daughter blossom into a storyteller and grow in confidence, witnessing first-hand how early learning can reach far beyond the classroom.

Rustenburg, South Africa (25 September 2026) – For Thorofaso Segune, some of the most meaningful signs of her daughter’s growth happen in the moments she brings home from her early learning development (ECD) centre in Tlhabane, Rustenburg.

When her daughter first started attending the ECD centre, Thorofaso hoped the experience would help prepare her little girl for school. What she did not expect was to see such a profound change in her confidence.

“They’ve built her self-esteem,” Thorofaso says proudly.

“She can now stand in front of people boldly, speak and do anything.”

Her daughter attends a Do More Foundation-supported ECD centre, where play, language, interaction and learning are helping lay important foundations for her development.

For Thorofaso, the difference isn’t something she has to imagine or measure on paper; she sees it at home every day. Her daughter thrives on the centre’s play-based learning, using it as a powerful way to explore, learn, and step out of her shell. It is evident in the new words she learns, the stories she tells, the games she wants to play and, perhaps most importantly, the growing confidence with which she expresses herself.

“She is more open now,” Thorofaso explains.

“You can hear when she speaks that they teach them to speak clearly.”

It is a change that has been particularly meaningful for a mother watching her child become increasingly comfortable expressing herself. And almost every day, she brings something home.

“Every time she comes home, she shares something new, either a new word or a new game,” Thorofaso says with a smile. “Sometimes you are surprised and you ask, ‘Where did you learn that from?’”

Her daughter’s response is often the same:

“This is what we learnt at crèche.”

These conversations have become some of the most rewarding moments of her day. They are small reminders that learning is taking place, and that her daughter is proud of what she is discovering.

Language development has also played an important role in her daughter’s journey. At the ECD centre, children are exposed to both English and Setswana, giving them opportunities to develop their communication across languages.

“In most cases they speak both English and Setswana,” says Thorofaso.

For a young child, learning to communicate confidently can open up a world of possibilities. It allows them to participate, ask questions, form relationships, express their feelings and make themselves heard.

Hearing her daughter speak with greater confidence is one of the clearest signs of her growth.

Why the early years matter

According to the Do More Foundation, the first five years of life are a critical period for children’s development, laying important foundations for language, emotional wellbeing, social skills and future learning.

Yet for families living in communities where poverty and unemployment can create additional challenges, access to safe, stimulating and quality early learning environments is not always guaranteed.

ECD centres can provide children with spaces where they can learn, play, build friendships and develop the confidence to explore the world around them. The Foundation works to support young children, caregivers and communities, recognising the importance of giving children strong foundations during their earliest years.

Thorofaso’s experience gives that work a deeply personal face. Because for her, the impact of ECD is not simply about what her daughter may achieve one day when she starts school. It is about who she is becoming today: a child who is more open, learning to communicate, and, most importantly, a child who is finding her voice and learning that it deserves to be heard.