In situations of remoteness and poverty, many children are not able to take part in formal Early Childhood Development programmes. These are often too far away, and may also cost too much. Non-Centre Based learning brings ECD activities and support into the lives of many marginalised children, through either home visiting programmes or play groups.

Since 2011, with a team of trained Family Community Motivators, we have provided ECD services to over three hundred homes within the communities of Mpophomeni and Bruntville. Our ladies work with children between 0 and 6 years of age in order to ensure that infants and young children develop to their full potential in order to transition into the formal educational system.

The caregiver plays an integral role in their child’s development. Parents are the child’s first and most important teacher and need to be supported and encouraged to participate in their children’s early learning. Parent Support Groups acknowledge the challenges faced by caregivers and provide an opportunity to share their experiences and reflect on their role in their child’s well-being and development. We build the confidence of the caregivers who feel assisted and reassured by interventions that involve them in the care of their child.

Partnerships with organisations such as Hope World Wide, UNICEF and the National ECD Alliance, provide resources for a comprehensive support programme, with accessible learning materials, participatory approaches and the opportunity to further develop learning resources. Through getting parents involved in the hands-on making of toys for their children, adults become child-like again and experience the joys of play first-hand.

MCC conducts workshops for caregivers to make toys mainly from waste materials and these workshops are also used as an opportunity to sensitise caregivers to the importance of ECD.

Young children learn through play. Our toy libraries offer a variety of games, puzzles, musical instruments, fantasy play items, outdoor play activities and storybooks to give ECD practitioners access to these essential resources. Our mobile toy library visits rural, under-resourced ECD Centres in the KZN Midlands, bringing a smile to the practitioners’ and children’s faces.

The fixed toy libraries are used by young children from our non-centre based programme as well as children from near-by primary schools. The toy libraries provide a safe space for enriched play. Our toy librarians are also skilled in working with children with barriers to learning and adjust the use of toys and other learning resources to ensure inclusivity.