This Women’s Month, the Early Care Foundation (ECF) is proud to celebrate the women who not only lead from the front but also shape the future of early childhood development (ECD) in South Africa and beyond. The voices of our female trustees reflect both the urgency and the hope that define the sector today.

Storytelling as a Driver of Change

For trustee Tamzin Stroucken, the significance of ECF’s 35-year journey lies in how it inspires others to act: “I love the idea of this 35-year anniversary and interviewing the trustees, because the more content we have to share about the incredible work that ECF does, the more obvious it becomes why people should contribute and support the programme.”

Her words underscore a truth reflected in the data: with 5.8 million children under the age of four in South Africa, only about half are currently in some form of early learning programme. Sharing stories of progress and impact isn’t just celebratory—it’s necessary to mobilize the resources still required.

Building Communities That Thrive

Tamzin also reminds us that ECF’s model extends well beyond classrooms: “ECF works hand in hand with communities—not just the teachers, but parents too—fostering a real sense of ownership. The community becomes protective over the schools in their area because they can see the impact and the children thriving.”

In a country where only 52% of ECD teaching staff hold formal qualifications, community participation is often what sustains quality. As Tamzin notes: “When parents and communities are invited to get involved—whether it’s painting schools, cleaning the streets, or simply showing up—it creates pride, ownership, and a shared commitment to building something lasting.”

Women as Agents of Transformation

ECF CEO Ipeleng Mohlala has spent over a decade in the sector and speaks to why she has stayed the course: “What made me stay in the ECD sector is seeing the impact quality programmes/interventions have —not only on children, but on women and communities.”

That impact is urgently needed. National workforce estimates show that to meet the 2030 ECD Strategy, South Africa must nearly double its ECD practitioner base—from about 289,000 staff today to over 500,000. For Ipeleng, the sector’s growth is not just about numbers but about dignity: when women practitioners are equipped to run sustainable, viable ECD businesses, families and communities rise with them.

She also reminds us that South Africa is an outlier on the continent: “In South Africa, we are fortunate that government has prioritized early childhood development through the National Development Plan. But across much of Africa, ECD is still not recognized as the foundation of education.” That, she says, defines the next horizon: “As we celebrate 35 years of the Early Care Foundation, our vision is to expand beyond South Africa, so that every African child can thrive.”

ECD as a Pathway to Leadership and Prosperity

For trustee Polo Leteka, the importance of this work is both personal and national: “For me, I think the importance of this work is that we’re building a pathway of future leadership that will have the capacity and the know-how to run the affairs of our economies and build this wonderful continent called Africa.”

She emphasizes that transformation begins with practitioners: “One of the most important goals of ECS is not only the impact on the children who ultimately benefit from our work, but also the transformation of practitioners themselves. Through capacity building and skills development, we empower them to deliver quality education and to run commercially viable, sustainable ECD businesses.”

In a landscape where only 32% of children aged 0–6 are enrolled in early learning programmes, scaling that practitioner base is crucial. For Polo, empowering women to lead strong, sustainable ECD centres is how South Africa builds not just better schools, but stronger economies.

A Shared Vision

As these trustees remind us, ECF’s impact is not measured in statistics alone—it is visible in thriving children, empowered women, and mobilized communities. The stats may highlight the gaps, but their voices illuminate the way forward: community ownership, women’s empowerment, sustainable practice, and continental ambition.

This Women’s Month, we celebrate not only their leadership, but the shared commitment that unites them: to ensure that every African child has the foundation to learn, grow, and thrive.