Children Love the Blocks!
Dear Friends and Family,
What a meaningful two weeks I have had in South Africa! I am happy to report that many of the 200 crates of blocks funded in 2025 have already made their way into small hands, thanks to ASAP donors!
See the story in pictures:
Blocks are the most important resource a preschool can have and they last forever!
Maria Nienaber heads the PEN Young Children Program. Jacki is a PEN driver. Ompolelu helps preschool principals order items from the Incentive Store with points earned by attending weekly lesson planning sessions and monthly workshops. Sleeping mats, small tables and chairs, first aid kits, and fire extinguishers are essential for preschools to own. They also love purchasing ASAP-funded educational toys such as block sets and dolls.
Playing with blocks encourages teamwork, imagination, large and small motor skills, balance, following directions, spatial relations and much more.
What a joy seeing preschools receive the Incentive Store toys and equipment they earned. Hanna Radingwana, the Principal of the Tushanang Preschool, is pleased with her crate of blocks.
Tushanang children are experiencing blocks for the first time. Some are not quite sure what to do with them and others are catching on quickly! PEN coaches will present a hands-on workshop about block play for all the principals and teachers registered at each ASAP-PEN toy library training center.
It was a thrill beyond words for me to see PEN staff loading a trailer several days in a row to take block sets to Kagiso, Senekal, and Steelpoort. So many hands involved in this journey starting with ASAP donors writing checks or making online gifts and ending with the small hands of children discovering all they can do with blocks.
The children in our 242 preschools have no toys or books at home. Teachers have told me they grew up raiding trash heaps to make balls and dolls. They are so grateful to access educational toys. They welcome the weekly coaching they receive and love helping young ones learn through play.
Thank you for your enthusiastic support for the most vulnerable children in South Africa. Because of you, they will be ready for school and will have a brighter future!
With all best wishes,
Nancy
P.S. The delight continues as sets of blocks are going to another 50 preschools.