OUR NEWS

At the DO MORE FOUNDATION, our commitment to social good is rooted in empowering communities, particularly through programmes focused on early learning and responsive caregiving. As our reach grows, so does the critical need for effective and efficient data collection. This challenge, identified by our Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) officer, Thea Wynne, led to the development of the DMF Chatbot which was a leap forward in harnessing artificial intelligence and big data for social good.

In Rustenburg, the Do More Foundation is supporting a growing network of enterprise development programmes that offer women and youth tangible pathways into the economy. These are not short-term projects, but long-term investments in people , building the kinds of skills, confidence, and resilience that underpin sustainable livelihoods.

Through partnership with Pepkor Speciality, we’re able to drive programmes that directly respond to the lived realities of people in under-resourced communities in Rusteburg. These initiatives are part of a broader model.

With Niya Consultancy as the implementing partner, Pepkor Speciality’s contributions enable a range of programmes, including the Township Economy Project, the Sewing Programme, and the #DoMorePlay Toy initiative, to take root and grow. Niya Consulting serves as the implementing partner for these programmes in Rustenburg, bringing deep local knowledge and expertise to the design and delivery of enterprise development initiatives. Their hands-on facilitation ensures that each programme is responsive to community needs and achieves meaningful, measurable impact.

The Bana Pele Mass Registration Drive (BPMRD) is a programme that is spearheaded by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in response to the need to pull all Early Learning Programmes (ELPs) into the regulatory net; and support them to comply with the minimum norms and standards. The emphasis on registration stems from the government’s recognition that quality early learning rests on various conditions being met including adequate nutrition, safe and nurturing environments, parent and caregiver support, as well as access to opportunities for professional development for practitioners. The registration process has been simplified for ELPs to include 3 steps which include applying on the E-Cares online platform, submitting supporting documentation to provide evidence of compliance and ultimately achieving silver or gold certification.

The Worcester Technical Task Team has achieved a significant policy victory, culminating in the development and near completion of the Breede Valley Municipality (BVM) Early Childhood Development (ECD) Policy in the Western Cape. This initiative, spearheaded by the Worcester technical task team with support from Real Reform, represents a crucial step in strengthening the local ECD ecosystem and lays a foundational blueprint for all stakeholders involved. There were various stakeholders involved such as ECD forum leads, Department of Health (DoH), Department of Social Development (DSD), Department of Education (DoE) and municipal departments.

Since 2022, the Early Care Foundation (ECF) has supported the coordination of a collective forum in Rustenburg focused on the wellbeing and services of children aged 0–5. Two key spaces include: the Young Child Forum, an inclusive platform for sharing knowledge and experiences with local ECD principals and local organizations with young children and a Technical Committee, where planning, coordination, and alignment take place between key partners in the early childhood development (ECD) space such as government departments like Department of Basic Education and NGOS working in the area. Drawing from participatory governance and systems change theory, they serve as sites of relational accountability, where organisations align around a shared purpose.