Adopt a South African Preschool funds Educational Toy Library-Training Centers, so that vulnerable children gain the foundation for school success.

Last May 18th I celebrated my most memorable birthday ever with Marlese Nel, our ASAP coordinator in South Africa. For three days, we visited ASAP’s educational toy libraries and 6 of the 130 preschools we support.

We hope 2023 is off to a great start and that Valentine’s Day brings much gratitude for your loved ones wherever they are in this world, or beyond.

Adopt a South African Preschool funds toy libraries at training centers, so that disadvantaged children have the foundation to succeed in school and in life. Preschoolers learn through play, but countless children of color in South Africa do not have this opportunity. Instead, they spend their formative years watching non-educational television in informal, overcrowded daycares while their mothers work, look for work, or beg.

Preschool graduations in December are big in South Africa, perhaps especially in low-income communities where many parents cannot read themselves. It is a proud and festive time for graduates, their parents, and teachers.

Today’s December 15th newsletter focuses on the coaches of our partner nonprofit PEN whose goal is “to see a South Africa where every child is able to thrive through access to quality early childhood development.”

As you know, the focus of ASAP is the children, (as you see in this newsletter.) Many have never played with educational toys, or ANY toys, until now.

This first newsletter focuses on the preschool owners who are no longer just babysitting, but loving being now able to access resources and the training to actually teach the children in their care. Next newsletters will focus on the children and on the coaches. We hope you will join our end of the year campaign to raise funds to expand our network of coaches and educational resources to reach its capacity of 180 preschools (we are at 121 now).