MEET OUR NEW COMMUNITY EDUCATION INTERN, JENNY
Wild Tomorrow is delighted to welcome Jenny Machangu to our expanding team in South Africa as our community education intern. Jenny is embedded at the two community creches we support, working together in partnership with the GrowECD Foundation to support and train the teachers to deliver quality early childhood education (ECD). This is a big boost to the little learners, giving them a more equal chance at a brighter future.
Learn more about Jenny and her impactful work for early learners in our story below!
In rural areas of South Africa, including our province KwaZulul-Natal, creches (preschools) have a huge heart for children yet lack trained teachers and learning materials. It’s a harsh cycle as community creches, without trained teachers and accredited facilities, do not qualify for government support and funding, which continues to hinder their growth and development.
Wild Tomorrow, through our community education program, is committed to shaping brighter futures for the young children of our neighboring community, Mduku, by supporting two community creches – the Thelelulwazi and Silethukukhanya creches This year we embarked on a 3-year partnership with South African Foundation, Grow ECD, who are experts in supporting creches and provide training, curriculums, and learning materials for the teachers, equipping them to provide excellent ’5-star early childhood education’.
A requirement for the implementation of the program is to have a qualified teacher work with the creches to support them to roll out the GrowECD curriculum and teacher training. We began our search early this year for a candidate with a university degree in Education and a passion for both children and conservation – which led us to Jenny Machangu!
Following Her Passion for Wildlife and Education
Jenny grew up in Mduku and graduated in 2023 with a degree in Education majoring in Early Childhood Development (ECD) from the University of South Africa (UniSA). With her passion for both wildlife conservation and education for children, we couldn’t have found a more perfect fit! We were delighted to welcome Jenny to the team this April. She is now embedded with teachers and children at the two creches we support, and spends every day with the teachers and students when the school is open.
While studying towards her education degree, Jenny worked at Manyoni Private Game Reserve, one of our partner reserves, as a guard at the reserve entrance, making sure visitors were registered and keeping the wildlife safe. She told us that she loved being immersed in nature at Mayoni. It’s a familiar story that most young people growing up in Mduku, surrounded by world-class wildlife reserves, do not get to experience their region’s incredible wildlife. Through her work at Manyoni, Jenny was able to see rhinos and cheetah for the first time when they roamed close to the gate (with Jennny retreating to the safety of the guard house!). She also got to see tranquilized lions that were entering the park to be released. Jenny told us that a highlight of her time working at Manyoni was getting to touch this pair of sleeping lions as they began their new journey at the reserve.
The Benefits of Investing in ECD
Investing in ECD has long-term benefits, including reduced dropout rates, improved academic performance, and increased opportunities for future success. This is in line with the South African government’s priority to improve early childhood development, particularly in rural areas. A 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study revealed that 80% of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning, ranking South Africa last among 43 countries. Research consistently shows that without strong literacy and numeracy foundations in early years, children rarely catch up, prompting the government to prioritize ECD under the Department of Basic Education (DBE).
On the Road to ECD Success
With Jenny now on the team together with our Community Conservation Manager Aphiwe Notshawa, they are working together with the Silethethukanya and Theleluwazi creches on a roadmap to registration with the Department of Education as a professional childcare facility. There is a long checklist of criteria to meet (outlined as part of the GrowECD program), making this a 3-year journey, focused on training the teachers, upgrading the facilities, and improving the quality of education provided. Once the creches complete this journey, they will then be able to receive vital financial support from the government, including support for teacher's salaries.
And if the teacher training, ECD program supervision and 90 children aren’t keeping Jenny busy enough already, she’s also helping to develop our environmental education program together with Aphiwe, which includes a bush walk journal for children to work on during upcoming visits to our Greater Ukuwela Nature Reserve.
To support Jenny, the cost of the GrowECD program and materials, and our community education program, please click below to donate.