South African ECD Initiative
(Ilifa Labantwana and SmartStart)
Universal access to childcare and ECD services are key to overcoming poverty and inequity in South Africa. The ECD Systems Change Coalition is thus an attempt by various South African ECD organisations to transform South Africa’s ECD system into a well-financed, well regulated, delivery system that serves all children and caregivers. Led by Ilifa Labantwana and SmartStart, the Coalition mobilises behind ECD as a collective and leverages opportunities, building from the strengths of the members.
Strengths
- Collective leadership amongst core partners.
- Genuine non-ego driven, mission driven winning coalition.
- Deep understanding of government and strong relationships: Time taken to understand the government system and how that system needs to shift to enable universal access to ECD.
- Humility and adaptability.
- Navigating the complex ECD system to change mindsets on how to achieve universal access to ECD.
- Innovative approaches to organising small/informal/micro ECD providers so they can provide quality programmes for children and make it manageable for goverment to regulate and finance them – establishing a delivery system.
Countries: South Africa
Cohort: 1