At the Jim Joel Fund, we’ve been dedicated to improving Early Childhood Development (ECD) in South Africa for over 30 years. While there have been great strides made, we’ve often felt that real, sustainable change for the country’s most marginalised children remains elusive. We’ve questioned whether these traditional methods were truly delivering the impact we needed. It was clear that to create lasting change, we needed to engage partners with innovative perspectives and solutions.

To begin this journey, I reached out to the first three organisations that I believed could bring fresh, creative energy to the table: Fixed Africa, Media Monitoring Africa, and Ntataise. Fixed Africa impressed me with their unique problem-solving method, asking the fundamental question, “What does it look like when it’s fixed?”—a mindset that encourages imaginative and holistic solutions. Media Monitoring Africa’s focus on child participation and human rights felt like a natural fit, as their work directly aligned with our belief in children’s voices being central to decisions about their futures. And Ntataise, with its 40+ years of experience training those working with preschool-aged children in South Africa’s most remote areas, brought the deep, on-the-ground knowledge that was essential to shaping a truly impactful initiative.

Together, these partners and I began to discuss our shared vision, and it became clear that we needed something more than just another project—we needed a collective approach that placed children at the centre of community development. This vision gave rise to Asidlale.

The seed grant we’ve received is an exciting step. It validates not just the need for such an integrated model, but also the strength of the collaboration we’ve started. Asidlale represents a shift in how we approach ECD: placing children at the centre requires us to rethink everything from budgeting to partnerships to supporting communities where the real need lies.

While the strength and voices of the initial partners, as well as the new partners we’ve since brought on board, have driven the momentum of Asidlale, I am proud to have initiated this collaboration and to continue working with such committed organisations. Together, we can create a lasting impact for South Africa’s most marginalised children—ensuring that they have the support, care, and opportunities to thrive.