Masikhule, through its early childhood development programmes and services, has empowered a new cohort of educators to spot potential, bridge delays, and inspire a love for learning.
Helderberg, South Africa (17 December 2025) – In a country where Early Childhood Development (ECD) plays a crucial role in a child’s well-being and future, access to it is sadly for the privileged few.
This is according to Masikhule, an NPO which works to address this gap by training ECD educators within marginalised communities, mentoring them and providing relevant resources.
The impact in 2025 alone has been immensely positive on young, growing minds. With over 100 young children screened in February 2025 and re-screened again in November, the positive results seen at the end of the year are proof of the effectiveness of Masikhule’s integrative approach to child development.
Empowering Teachers, Inspiring Children
This last semester has been a whirlwind of growth and learning with Masikhule training 10 ECD teachers, directly impacting the lives of 350 young children. These educators dived deep into foundation skills and learned how to master Early Learning Program (ELP) planning.
A key highlight was successfully linking Masikhule’s ELP to the South African National Curriculum Framework, ensuring every child receives a top-tier education that meets national standards.
And because early intervention is at the heart of what Masikhule does, the organisation’s Occupational Therapist (OT) hosted eight Enrichment Workshops, which helped teachers gain knowledge of early child development, identify learning delays, and apply strategies for inclusive learning.
The teachers received 60 mentorship visits at their ECD Centres to reinforce training, build teacher confidence, and support collaboration and growth. They also had access to multiple ELP Theme Bags – each containing learning resources, educational games, and books to engage and inspire children – plus a stationery and resource kit, enabling them to effectively implement the ELP in their classrooms.
MASKOT’s Impact
The use of MASKOT, Masikhule’s online open-source learning platform, continued to make a significant difference. Feedback from ECD teachers found the App easy to navigate, valuable for planning, and had a significantly positive impact on the quality of learning in their Centres.
OT videos on MASKOT support early intervention by covering different early learning skills, enabling teachers and caregivers to support children’s development confidently. A total of 50 OT videos have been composed so far.
Building Futures Through Mentorship and Play
Additionally, five ECD Centres received monthly OT group sessions to develop early learning skills, using MASKOT activities to demonstrate accessible and practical resources for teachers. Sessions included a variety of activities to build foundational skills like strength, endurance, balance and coordination.
Activities like tearing paper, rolling balls, paper folding and manipulating play-dough were used to improve bilateral coordination and functional fine motor skills. Teachers actively participated in observing how OT principles support children with developmental and learning delays.
A total of 50 sessions were completed by the end of the year, with children being rewarded with certificates to recognise their participation and consolidate learning. These sessions have shown very positive results, contributing to early intervention and supporting improvements in screening outcomes.
When teachers fully engage in ELP training and consistently apply their learning, it has a profound and measurable impact on children’s development. The remarkable gains seen this year reflect the combined power of comprehensive ELP Training, hands-on Mentorship, MASKOT, Learning Resources, and Teacher Enrichment Workshops, alongside the unwavering commitment of teachers.
This integrated approach, supported by the Ilanga Foundation, ensures that children in these ECD Centres are supported holistically, setting a strong foundation for their learning, growth, and future success.
Sources: Masikhule
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