As the nation gears up to do its bit for Mandela Day on Thursday, July 18, the Do More Foundation has partnered with businesses to bring more play to young children.
The foundation, founded by RCL Foods, will bring together 15 business partners, and over 500 volunteers to bring more play to 9,600 young children at 192 Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres across South Africa.
The theme for this year’s Mandela Day is ‘It is in Your Hands’, and according to the foundation, this is a powerful refrain that can be found in the many speeches and actions taken by Madiba throughout his life.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Do More Foundation, Warren Farrer said this will be embodied at the foundation’s "Mandela Day of Play” events by all those rolling up their sleeves for 67 minutes to upgrade an under-resourced ECD centre in their area.
Farrer emphasised the importance of play in a young child’s learning and development.
“The first five years of a child's life are crucial for developing concepts, skills, and attitudes that form the basis for lifelong learning. Play is essential in building various areas of development for young children, such as gross motor, fine and visual coordination, cognitive and executive functioning, and social, emotional, and physical skills,” he said.
According to the ECD Census 2021 report, free play is often limited, and materials and equipment for these activities are scarce in ECD centres, especially those that are unregistered. Approximately 50% of the 42,420 ECD programs assessed, reported providing less than 30 minutes of free play each day.
“Our nation's children are facing critical developmental challenges, with the Thrive by Five Index 2022 revealing that 55% of South African children aged four and five in early learning programs are struggling to meet expected learning milestones.
“It's crucial that we emphasise the importance of learning through play, as it is fundamental to their cognitive and social development,” Farrer said.
The foundation said the success of this annual nationwide project hinges on partnerships with mission-aligned organisations that understand the importance of investing in children’s early years. For Mandela Day events, in particular, the critical role these multi-sectoral collaborations have in empowering play-based learning in some of South Africa’s most disadvantaged communities.
Partnerships Lead for the Do More Foundation, Iris Naidoo said the power of partnerships to achieve this impact cannot be overstated.
“Partnering with businesses is essential for positively impacting the lives of young children in South Africa. Businesses hold the resources and expertise to tackle complex social issues affecting children, including poverty, education, and health. By joining forces, businesses and organisations like the Do More Foundation can pool their strengths, resources, and networks to achieve a greater impact together than they could individually,” Naidoo said.
IOL