PROGRAMMES
IMBIZA FAMILY COMMUNITY MOTIVATOR (FCM) PROGRAMME
FCM supports caregivers and parents to be informed and involved in nurturing the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of their children. The programme is run in the informal settlements. With a range of speakers and topics, the FCM programme is well received and attended. Our team also offers family support, counselling and helps participants to access resources for their children and families.
FCM implements the First 1000 Days programme which focuses on the development of a child from pregnancy to two years of age. The programme provides pregnant mothers with essential information and support for their babies and own health. Our FCM facilitators are also trained in the BrainBoosters programme. This material helps to educate parents and caregivers about how to teach and educationally stimulate their children's development through play and reading.
We average 220 families who participate annually, 2300+ home visits, 240+ children reached, at least 20 special needs children helped and more children referred to specialists for follow up.
FCM implements the First 1000 Days programme which focuses on the development of a child from pregnancy to two years of age. The programme provides pregnant mothers with essential information and support for their babies and own health. Our FCM facilitators are also trained in the BrainBoosters programme. This material helps to educate parents and caregivers about how to teach and educationally stimulate their children's development through play and reading.
We average 220 families who participate annually, 2300+ home visits, 240+ children reached, at least 20 special needs children helped and more children referred to specialists for follow up.
THE IMBEWU COACHING & SUPPORT PROGRAMME
Imbewu is designed to empower ECD practitioners with basic early childhood development skills. The programme has two active projects:
1. Basic ECD Training Course - this one year programme trains practitioners in the practical skills of running a classroom learning environment and stimulating children to learn. They are also trained in inclusive education to empower them to cope with children with special needs, learn how to make their own training materials, equipped with resources and learn about the legal requirements of opening an ECD Centre.
2. ECD coaching and mentoring - our facilitators run workshops for ECD pPractitioners on relevant topics, visit ECDs and provide practical on-the-job coaching and mentoring support.
The Imbewu programme supports 169 ECD centres and their teachers / practitioners in Khayelitsha. We use material from Inclusive Education, The Unlimited Child, Nali'bali and more. Our Basic ECD Training averages 30 students each year. Over 240 Early Childhood Development Practitioners have been trained in Basic Assistant Teacher Training over the past six years, reaching more than 3500 children. Sikhula Sonke has coached and trained 75+ ECD sites, resulting in many becoming registered with the Department of Social Development.
1. Basic ECD Training Course - this one year programme trains practitioners in the practical skills of running a classroom learning environment and stimulating children to learn. They are also trained in inclusive education to empower them to cope with children with special needs, learn how to make their own training materials, equipped with resources and learn about the legal requirements of opening an ECD Centre.
2. ECD coaching and mentoring - our facilitators run workshops for ECD pPractitioners on relevant topics, visit ECDs and provide practical on-the-job coaching and mentoring support.
The Imbewu programme supports 169 ECD centres and their teachers / practitioners in Khayelitsha. We use material from Inclusive Education, The Unlimited Child, Nali'bali and more. Our Basic ECD Training averages 30 students each year. Over 240 Early Childhood Development Practitioners have been trained in Basic Assistant Teacher Training over the past six years, reaching more than 3500 children. Sikhula Sonke has coached and trained 75+ ECD sites, resulting in many becoming registered with the Department of Social Development.
FUNDA UDLALE TOY LIBRARY PROGRAMME
With facilities at Harare Library in Harare Square in Harare, the toy library continues to be a resource centre for ECD centres and for participants in Sikhula Sonke’s family and community programmes, as well as the local community in Harare itself.
The Funda Udlale programme has helped many children in their development. Many children in our programmes are from the poorest areas of Khayelitsha, where parents simply cannot afford to buy toys, let alone educational toys. The Toy Library helps these children to learn through play and broadens their environment through access to and interaction with different educational toys, games and books.
Toy Library facilitates up to 7300 child interactions each year. ECDs make use of our facilities and during COVID lockdowns, we adapted to take toys and books to parents in their own home. We also use the opportunity to check in with children, caregivers, ECD teachers and provide ongoing free child raising, teaching and parenting skills courses.
The Funda Udlale programme has helped many children in their development. Many children in our programmes are from the poorest areas of Khayelitsha, where parents simply cannot afford to buy toys, let alone educational toys. The Toy Library helps these children to learn through play and broadens their environment through access to and interaction with different educational toys, games and books.
Toy Library facilitates up to 7300 child interactions each year. ECDs make use of our facilities and during COVID lockdowns, we adapted to take toys and books to parents in their own home. We also use the opportunity to check in with children, caregivers, ECD teachers and provide ongoing free child raising, teaching and parenting skills courses.
EMTHONJENI ‘WELLSPRING OF LEARNING’ PROGRAMME
Emthonjeni provides early childhood development learning and stimulation to children who cannot access formal ECD learning or preschools due to lack of access to finance, transport or for other reasons. Emthonjeni happens in designated public community spaces in the informal settlements of Khayelitsha, next to communal water taps and in community parks.
Facilitators travel to the area with all that is needed (tables, gazebos, books, toys etc) and set up for the morning. During the year these children are introduced to different themes of ECD learning. Many are referred to specialised institutions for various special needs including hearing and visual screening. Caregivers and parents of the children in this programme also participate in an intensive Parent/Caregiver Training programme interventions to equip them with health and parenting skills.
Emthonjeni facilitates 1500+ individual child, parent & caregiver interactions hosted in public spaces around Khayelitsha each year. Since inception, more than 70 Emthonjeni learners have graduated to primary school each year after meeting all their developmental milestones.
Emthonjeni provides early childhood development learning and stimulation to children who cannot access formal ECD learning or preschools due to lack of access to finance, transport or for other reasons. Emthonjeni happens in designated public community spaces in the informal settlements of Khayelitsha, next to communal water taps and in community parks.
Facilitators travel to the area with all that is needed (tables, gazebos, books, toys etc) and set up for the morning. During the year these children are introduced to different themes of ECD learning. Many are referred to specialised institutions for various special needs including hearing and visual screening. Caregivers and parents of the children in this programme also participate in an intensive Parent/Caregiver Training programme interventions to equip them with health and parenting skills.
Emthonjeni facilitates 1500+ individual child, parent & caregiver interactions hosted in public spaces around Khayelitsha each year. Since inception, more than 70 Emthonjeni learners have graduated to primary school each year after meeting all their developmental milestones.
THE FATHERHOOD NETWORK
Sikhula Sonke started the Fatherhood Network in 2016 to engage fathers to become active in and committed to their children's early childhood development and education.
Recognising the importance of a present father in a child's life, the Fatherhood Network aims to recognise and affirm the importance of fathers in early education; create community networks of men who will advocate for the issues of child protection, safety and health; empower men with knowledge and resources so that they can play an active role in their children's education (especially for special needs children); and encourage fathers to be active supporters and the heroes of their women and children.
There are 30 fathers participating in our Network. In the last 3 years they have attended parenting workshops, participated in reading programmes with their children, helped create 3 food gardens and assisted with building two ECD classrooms.
Sikhula Sonke started the Fatherhood Network in 2016 to engage fathers to become active in and committed to their children's early childhood development and education.
Recognising the importance of a present father in a child's life, the Fatherhood Network aims to recognise and affirm the importance of fathers in early education; create community networks of men who will advocate for the issues of child protection, safety and health; empower men with knowledge and resources so that they can play an active role in their children's education (especially for special needs children); and encourage fathers to be active supporters and the heroes of their women and children.
There are 30 fathers participating in our Network. In the last 3 years they have attended parenting workshops, participated in reading programmes with their children, helped create 3 food gardens and assisted with building two ECD classrooms.
For more information about our programmes, please contact us.
