Master’s degree in Agriculture (Food Security), University of KwaZulu-Natal. Post-grad Diploma in Rural Resource Management. University of Natal.

I began working in rural development and education in 1997 and from the beginning have been interested in how local knowledge and external expertise can work together in ways that strengthen agency and create opportunities within rural communities.

My early work included subsistence and small-scale organic farming, participatory development, and adult education. Over time, I became increasingly interested in the early years of a child’s life, particularly early childhood education, health, and early literacy. For the past decade, these different strands of experience, study and personal interests have come together and now shape the work of Lulamaphiko, which I founded in 2021.

Previously, I was Director of the Family Literacy Project, working with fifteen deep rural communities in southern Drakensberg. I later led Wordworks’ Every Word Counts programme, supporting 35 ECD NGOs across three provinces to strengthen early language and literacy support for children from pregnancy to five years. I also spent three years evaluating Africa!Ignite’s Telling Stories of KwaZulu-Natal programme through participatory monitoring and evaluation and later joined Africa!Ignite as Education Programmes Manager, focusing on strengthening literacy outcomes for young children.

Today my focus is on the care and education of children from birth to nine years. Lulamaphiko works with rural communities to support young children’s learning and wellbeing, strengthen their relationship with nature, and help prepare them for life in a rapidly changing world.

B.Agric Honours – Agricultural Extension and rural resource management (Cum Laude) UKZN, Current study M.Agric in extension at University of Pretoria.

I joined Lulamaphiko in September 2025 as the Programmes Lead. My main responsibilities include overseeing the implementation of Lulamaphiko’s Early Childhood and Development, early literacy and food gardens/nutrition programmes in the two communities of uPhongolo and uMhlabuyalingana, and ensuring quality work. I mentor a team of 14, support programme budgeting and reporting, contribute to fundraising efforts and engage with a wide range of partners including government, business and civil society stakeholders.

I have been a development practitioner for over 9 years working mainly in rural contexts across Southern Africa, including Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia with a focus on agriculture, food security, conservation and environmental programmes. Skilled in programme coordination, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and evaluation, and participatory approaches that support sustainable community development.

IMM Batchelor of Business Administration (BBA) graduate.

I joined Lulamaphiko in July 2022 as an office and finance administrator, essentially the administrative link between our funders and the work that gets done in the field. My passion for accuracy and keen eye for detail drives me to create and maintain comprehensive, streamlined processes and tools that ensure internal financial management and accurate reporting to the funders. My background in a corporate marketing and financial management career equipped me to understand and juggle the many demands of this role, and to support and enable the team’s important work. I love problem-solving, especially if it is accompanied by a great Excel spreadsheet! As a mom to two boys, I am involved in a childhood literacy journey of my own, so I connect personally to the early childhood development passions of Lulamaphiko. This amazing team works hard at making small but truly significant changes in people’s lives, and I am honored to be a part of what we do.

I am currently completing my final year of a Bachelor of Education in Intermediate Phase at UNISA, majoring in Mathematics and Life Skills.

I am dedicated and passionate about supporting the development of children aged 0–5 years during their most formative stage of growth. I believe that a strong early foundation shapes lifelong learning and future success.

In my role, I work closely with parents, families, caregivers, and ECD practitioners to promote nurturing, literacy-rich environments. I facilitate engagement sessions and practical training that empower families to support their children through everyday interactions. Through my work, I help strengthen early language development, emotional security, and school readiness.
I lead the EAT LOVE PLAY TALK Train-the-Trainer programme, supporting and mentoring ECD practitioners across uPhongolo to implement this quality early childhood programmes. My work focuses on building practitioner capacity, strengthening teaching practices, and ensuring sustainable community impact.

BA Honours degree in Development Studies, University of Zululand, Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management (M&E), University of Witwatersrand.

I joined Lulamaphiko in October 2025, where I support the organisation to understand and strengthen the impact of its work with young children, practitioners, and caregivers. My role focuses on building systems that capture meaningful data, reflect programme progress, contribute to programme reporting to funders, and translate learning into better practice. I also coordinate and mentor interns placed through the Social Employment Fund (SEF) programme, supporting their learning and involvement in community-based initiatives.

I have over five years’ experience in M&E and community development across government and nonprofit sectors. I am passionate about using evidence and stories from the ground to improve programmes and ensure that the voices and experiences of communities remain at the centre of development work.

B. Social Work, University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Additional studies (Alison short courses): Diploma in Psychology, Certificates in Mental Health Studies – Suicide, Violent Behavior and Substance Abuse, Certificate in Supporting Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Illness.

I am the Area Coordinator and Programme Facilitator at Lulamaphiko in uPhongolo. I lead and oversee the implementation of ECD programmes and strategic partnerships in the area, ensuring quality delivery and system strengthening.

My work includes convening monthly Young Child Forum (YCF) meetings for over 119 practitioners, leading ECD registration support through the Department of Education’s eCares (Bana Pele) system, coordinating centre upgrades to improve compliance, and overseeing nutrition support to over 50 centres. I represent the organisation in key stakeholder structures, including the Child Care and Protection Forum (CCPF), Tectinical Task Team (TTT), and municipal forums, where I advocate for the prioritisation of children aged 0–5 years. I also manage the database for over 119 ECD centres and lead weekly planning, reporting, and team coordination processes.

HC in Mathematics & Statistics, UNISA, currently pursing Nutritional Health Education Course (online course) at African Academy of Nutrition and Health (AANH).

I work as a Data Coordinator in Mbazwana, where I assist with data and IT for all the projects in Mbazwana. I also lead the Nutrition program where we provide the children in the ECD Centers with nutritious porridge and peanut butter and measure the children to monitor their growth. My current studies in Nutritional Health Education enhance my knowledge of child health, growth, and development, particularly during the first 1000 days from pregnancy.

Teaching Diploma from Rand Afrikaans University, doctorate in Bible Theology from DP Bible College.

I have over 15 years’ experience working as a teacher in primary schools, I co-own Tholokukhanya ECD centre in uPhongolo with my wife and I was the ECD Forum chairperson in the municipality. In 2021, I joined Lulamaphiko, where I work as a driver/ project assistant, and recently started facilitating the Mikhulu Trust Fathers book-sharing project, which focuses on strengthening relationships between parents and their children through reading and shared learning experiences.

I have experience working with people from diverse backgrounds, and my calm nature helps me to better understand others’ feelings, intentions, and perspectives. This allows me to build meaningful connections and contribute positively to every environment I am part of.

What I love most about my work is the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children, helping to create spaces where they feel supported, inspired, and able to grow to their full potential.

NQF Level 4 certificate, short courses in basic plant nutrition & Agriculture soil science and plant nutrition at the Department of Agriculture.

I began working as an intern under the SEF Programme in 2022 and transitioned into a full-time position at Lulamaphiko in 2025. I am a passionate gardener who maintains a productive homestead garden using organic farming methods, which also serves as a demonstration garden for ECD centres in the uPhongolo Local Municipality.

I train and mentor ECD practitioners and centre gardeners through the Funda Engadini/Food Gardens programme, supporting them to establish and maintain sustainable food gardens based on agro-ecology farming practices. I also mentor parents participating in the Food Gardens Programme funded by the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

I enjoy working with children in the garden. I value the role of outdoor learning in support of children’s development and helping children build a strong relationship with nature.

B. Social Work from the University of Zululand.

I am a qualified and experienced Social Worker, and have worked with children, families, and senior citizens, focusing on psychosocial support, counselling, and community development. I am passionate about empowerment and advocacy, and I am committed to promoting well-being and social justice.

I spearhead two projects in Mbazwana: ELOM micro change project as an ELOM 4- & 5-years accredited assessor, where we are aiming to improve learning outcomes for young children, amid growing concern about school readiness mostly for children growing up in disadvantaged communities in deep rural areas; also, the ECD Enrichment center project where Lulamaphiko is supporting the development ofg high-quality ECD center that serves both as a model of good practice and a hub for peer learning within the uMhlabuyalingana municipality.

My role as the uMhlabuyalingana Area Coordinator is to support our team, coordinate and oversee implementation of programs and projects. I also convene and support the local ECD forum.
What I love most about my job is seeing changes in the people I work with and being part of the support system that ensures the safe and healthy development of young children through the services we support and provide to our beneficiaries.

Agro-Ecology (Biowatch), Growing Organic Food Sustainably, Sustainably Food Production and Processing (Alison online)

I am a storyteller and a passionate gardener with a productive homestead garden where I use organic farming methods. From 2019 I worked in Mbazwana training and mentoring teachers, ECD practitioners and parents, and worked with children in their classrooms. I am now drawing on my experience in adult education to train and mentor ECD centres to develop food gardens based on sustainable, organic farming practices and to support ECD practitioners to include gardening in their daily programmes for young children.

Library assistant, Occupational Certificate, Universal Knowledge Software.

I worked as a storyteller in Mbazwana until 2018, when I began my studies as an assistant librarian. I was an intern at the Mbazwana Public Library for one year to complete my studies. I joined Lulamaphiko in July 2021 as a trainer in the Wits University Classroom Libraries Research Project. I continue to promote classroom libraries in Foundation Phase classrooms in 30 schools in 2022, aiming to get books into the hands of children and for them to take books home to read. I also facilitate early literacy workshops for ECD practitioners to improve their classroom teaching and learning.