Hands-on Learning Issue 24
Through the newly rebranded edition of our Hands-on Learning publication developed in June 2023, we hope to play a helpful role in synthesising information from innovators and implementers in civil society, supporting them to share what they have learnt so that others are able to draw from and build on their experiences. Escaping The Inequality […]
Learning Brief – Escaping The Inequality Trap: The Case For Supporting Pregnant Women
South Africa is stuck in an inequality trap with too few people able to build the knowledge and skills needed to fully participate in society and the economy. Our human capital pipeline is throttled at source, as high rates of low birth weight, stunting and inadequate access to early learning opportunities mean many children enter […]
Learning Brief – Social Fathers: How Men Can Play A Greater Role In Caregiving And How This Impacts Our Children’s Future
The presence and support of nurturing and responsive caregivers helps children to reach their full potential. Although women have traditionally been seen as caregivers, adult men have an important role to play in the development of children as fathers, grandfathers, brothers, uncles, caregivers and Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners. This brief explores how ECD practitioners […]
Learning Brief: Messages for Mothers
In a unique response to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, Messages for Mothers (M4M) aims to provide answers to mothers’ pressing questions about the coronavirus – and its impact on their families. In this learning brief, we look at the factors that contributed to M4M’s rapid formation, as well as the lessons learnt when […]
Homeschooling during lockdown
Turn off the sport reruns and put down the braai tongs – interacting with your child could be the most powerful thing you do during COVID-19, writes Kwanda Ndoda. As any sound Asset Manager will tell you: all crisis begets opportunity! Even though COVID-19 has restricted our movements, this doesn’t mean we have to stand […]
Bent, but not broken
In this article Professor Nonkhanyo Mdzanga, who was a contributing editor to our Human Factor publication, poignantly describes the difficult journey of parents to come to terms with having a child who has autism, but she also offers inspiration and shows how networks of parents can support each other. Read the essay below – choose […]
Finding the ‘ordinary magic’ that made me resilient
Photographer Wandie Mesatywa is incredibly resilient as you will read in this essay, in which she shares her story from being a youngster in rural Eastern Cape to becoming a teaching and exhibiting artist. What makes a person resilient? Are we born that way? Do you have it or you don’t? Wandie takes us on […]
‘I love the feeling of keeping them safe’ – Men as early childhood development practitioners
“I’m the one that’s struggling here, not her.” This was a father’s response to my umpteenth reassurance that his daughter was okay in her new playgroup. At that moment she was happily arranging mud cakes on a log under the plum tree. I realised later he was observing me to be sure that his daughter […]
Hands-on Learning Issue 14
Through our Hands-on Learning publication, we hope to play a helpful role in synthesising information from innovators and implementers in civil society, supporting them to share what they have learned so that others are able to draw from and build on their experiences. In this issue: Dynamic networks are amplifier strategies that enable social innovators […]
Building communities free of violence
Violence against children has long-term effects that impact not just the development of our children, but the development of our nation. A costing study commissioned by Save the Children South Africa estimated that early exposure to violence during childhood resulted in the loss of R238-billion in human capital – the equivalent to 6% of the […]
