Social media influencer and media personality Olwethu Leshabane is on a quest to improve the learning of children younger than five.
This after a report by Thrive Five Index revealed that 65% of South African children are failing to thrive by the age of five and are not meeting the expected early learning and/or physical growth standards for their age.
The report states that these children are likely to start grade R at a considerable disadvantage, with possible long-term implications for the rest of their education journey.
Statistics SA previously reported that more than 1-million children aged three to five years are not accessing any form of early learning.
Leshabane, a mother of three and a notable parenthood content creator, teamed up with non-profit organisation SmartStart to raise awareness about the importance of early learning for children in this age group.
“Early learning forms the foundation for the future success of our children,” said Leshabane. “As parents and caregivers, we are our children’s first and most important teachers, which means it’s up to us to provide the experiences and interactions children need to develop.
“I’m excited to share information on how early learning can be achieved through talk, play, nurture, and storytelling.”
SmartStart’s national campaign is aimed at empowering parents and caregivers to bring stimulating and engaging early learning activities into their homes.
“From a long-term impact perspective, this will enhance a child’s experience when attending a learning programme or pre-school. Highlighting the importance of learning milestones, the campaign reminds caregivers that #EveryWeekCounts when it comes to providing foundational experiences and interactions.
“Using this hashtag, I’ll be sharing useful tools and information that parents and caregivers can use to ensure ongoing stimulation at home. It’s a cause that’s very close to my heart, and I can’t wait to see the impact that this campaign has on parents’ relationship with their children, and on the success of these children later in life.”
Grace Matlhape, CEO of SmartStart, said Leshabane is the perfect ambassador for this cause. “She understands that early learning isn’t something that just happens with a teacher, it needs to continue at home as well,” said Matlhape.
“As a mother herself, she knows how the tools that we provide can be used by any parent, from any background, to make an impact on their child’s learning and development. We are looking forward to working with her to make a difference.”
Matlhape added that by 2030, SmartStart aimed to contribute to reaching 1-million children between the ages of three and five a year.
Since inception, the organisation has produced about 10 000 early learning practitioners, who have reached more than 100 000 children through their micro-enterprises.
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