OUR NEWS
Enterprise Development in Rustenburg: Practical Pathways to Livelihoods and Inclusion
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.
Bana Pele Mass Registration Drive in Rustenburg
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.
Worcester Technical Task Team Policy Victory in 2025
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.
Two Years of Listening, Connecting and Learning: Lessons from Coordinating Stakeholder Forums in Rustenburg
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.
Reaching families where they are: A playful and powerful “Home Visiting Model” in Randfontein
Co-authored by ACFS and DO MORE FOUNDATION
In many of South Africa’s under-resourced communities, the earliest years of a child’s life are often the most overlooked. Thousands of children remain at home instead of attending early learning centres – sometimes due to affordability, sometimes due to cultural perceptions, and often due to sheer lack of access. But while the child waits, so does their development. And the consequences of this “wait for Grade R” mentality are severe – missed opportunities for early stimulation, school readiness, and lifelong wellbeing.
This is the urgent gap that ACFS and the DO MORE FOUNDATION (with the financial backing from Investec) are addressing through a dynamic home visiting programme in Randfontein, supported by RCL FOODS and brought to life through an impactful partnership with Kids Collab.
“Scoping for Impact: Uncovering What Boksburg Needs”
Before we act, we listen. That’s the ethos behind the ‘Everyone Gets to PLAY’ model’s scoping process, a community-led journey that ensures real needs shape real solutions. In Boksburg, our implementing partner ACFS Community Education took this to heart, leading a deeply immersive scoping process that didn’t just gather data - it uncovered opportunity, challenge, and human urgency. “From the moment we stepped into Boksburg, you could feel the need,” reflected Jabu Mthembu-Dlamini (Community work Lead at DO MORE FOUNDATION). “Children were on pavements, in streets, sitting with parents at roadside stalls. You didn’t need a formal survey to see the urgency, it was in plain sight.”
What does scoping look like in practice?
While the DO MORE FOUNDATION provides the guiding framework through our Scoping Terms of Reference, it’s our partners who bring this framework to life. In Boksburg, ACFS led the charge - recruiting local youth as data collectors, developing participatory tools, and blending quantitative rigour with on-the-ground intuition. These youth, drawn from the very communities we aimed to serve, were recruited and trained in data ethics, research tools, and community entry strategies. Armed with clipboards and local knowledge, they stepped into homes, ECD centres, street corners, and ward meetings - gathering not just numbers, but insights.