A bit of positive reinforcement means the world to young ones who consistently show up for their pets at Funda Nenja.
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (29 April 2026) – Every week, kids from the Mpophomeni township show up at dog school with their four-legged best friends in tow. Some must walk quite a distance to get there and back. Still, they show up, excited to spend time bonding with their doggies in an educational space where they are encouraged to become responsible pet owners.
This week, those committed to showing up every Friday just got their certificates!
“To encourage and recognise our dog school learners for their regular attendance, certificates and small gifts are handed out at the end of each term to those who achieve 85% or more attendance. This is always appreciated and gives the recipients a sense of accomplishment.” Funda Nenja shared.
This is the norm at Funda Nenja, whose team often goes above and beyond to look out for the kids and their animals.
The local NPO’s name means ‘learning with a dog’ in isiZulu. It works with children and their dogs, using that relationship as a way to teach empathy, responsibility and confidence in communities where both children and animals are often underserved.
Children bring their own dogs to the programme and learn how to care for and train them. Along the way, they’re taught patience, kindness, and the importance of being consistent and showing up. That learning then extends beyond the training field into how they show up at home, at school and in their relationships with others.
Funda Nenja also supports the wider community by offering access to basic veterinary care like vaccinations, sterilisation and community outreach, which improves the wellbeing of the dogs as well as the families who look after them.
The way a child learns to treat their dog, with patience instead of fear, with care instead of control, often sparks a much deeper change. Those small shifts build confidence, self-worth and a stronger sense of responsibility. Funda Nenja looks out for the doggies, and the young minds who love them!
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