Global Aid Network (GAiN) South Africa exists to Reveal Hope and Restore life to those who live in poverty and crises in South Africa. Our main focuses are on giving the opportunity to children who are caught up in the Circle of Poverty to have preschool access and early childhood development learning, bringing food and other aid to people in need, and providing support to other struggling NPO’s (Non-profit organisations).
GAiN SA has been involved with the Motivation For Life ECD (Early Childhood Development) centre since 2013, where we have assisted them to grow and develop in management as well as their buildings and facilities. We have helped the preschool develop from a dilapidated zinc building to the construction of a brick school in collaboration with GAiN Netherlands.
GAiN SA, in partnership with We Play Smart that addresses the development of babies; Thuto Teach that provides indoor classroom training plus training teachers and parents in different skills sets, like first aid training; Living Kids Sports Academy that focuses on outdoor play and sports development, and Sound Mining, a concerned Mining consultancy, has developed a dynamic and unique Young Hero Program to ensure the holistic development of children.
We have become aware of a glaring need in South Africa that is not being addressed properly and adequately. There is a severe gap in the proper development of children from 0 – 6 years.
~ 90% of a child’s physical brain, cognitive abilities, language and other skills are developed by age 5, of which the first year is the most significant.
~ However, of the approximately 7 million children in SA in this age group, less than 21% of babies from 0-2 years receive daily brain stimulation, and less than 60% of children from 3 – 6 years attend a preschool or early learning centre.
~ Of the 80 000 pre-schools in South Africa, more than half have little to no infrastructure, lesson plans, curriculum, or educational material.
~ Children with inadequate cognitive stimulation and overall development are unprepared for primary school; they struggle to learn and have to contend with a backlog all their school years, and many drop out of school early.
~ Many of these children grow up in what is called the circle of poverty. They are often dependent on government grants, and most are unable to escape the circle of poverty.
Today’s children are tomorrow’s adults: they will either be Political leaders, Doctors, Scientists and Educators, or Economic dependents, unable to care for their families or even become criminals.
Nelson Mandela said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”
~ Proper early childhood development in the first 6 years of their life, together with proper nutrition, will break the circle of poverty for many.
~ They will be school-ready, they will be enabled not only to pass school but to excel at it. Many more will have the opportunity to enter tertiary institutions and consequently have good job opportunities.
~ The end result will be educated people who will have a positive socioeconomic effect on South Africa. Not only will their own futures be improved, but the future of South Africa as well.
~ This brings us to the Young Hero Program which helps to create and provide opportunities for proper Early Childhood Development to children in SA who live in difficulty, poverty, and crisis, so they can go from 0 to Hero.
GAiN SA also supports other NPO’s with monthly donations of nutritional food and other aid, like the Call Her Blessed shelter for pregnant and abused women, Leratong Old Age Home, Xola Disability Center, and Thusanang ECD.
We invite you to become a financial partner and come alongside us by supporting the work of GAiN South Africa.
