Nearly 30 years into its democracy, South Africa remains one of the most unequal societies in the world.  While the country has many challenges, there is one fundamental solution that can help to address them all – providing a quality education through which South Africa’s children are empowered to become confident, functioning and contributing members of society, and break free from the cycle of poverty they were born into.

What makes Bright Start Different?

While many great charities are helping to give more South African children access to the quality education they deserve, Bright Start recognised that access to education is not enough to ensure the best outcome for these children.  A child that has been plucked out of a township and placed in a well-resourced school needs additional support to truly flourish.  They will need academic and emotional support, and their parents – many without any real education themselves – may need mentoring to enable them to fully support their child through their school years.  They need a safe space where they can complete homework and school projects, with access to the internet and other educational resources.

In order to fully integrate into a new, more affluent, school environment, children also need the opportunity to participate in the extra-curricular activities enjoyed by their peers, such as swimming, karate, ballet, cricket, and music lessons.  And to ensure these children can maximise the opportunities presented to them through the Programme, they need to have access to healthcare.

Bright Start, through its network of generous service providers and donors, provides this comprehensive package of support and enrichment to the children on the Programme.  In this way, we ensure our beneficiaries have the best possible chance for a bright future – building a better future for South Africa, one child at a time.