Research across South Africa is clear: children thrive when their needs are met holistically. Education alone is not enough without proper nutrition. Health care is less effective without stable social support.
This four-part blog series unpacks Starfish Greathearts Foundation’s four pillars, education, nutrition, health care, and social welfare, and explores how each plays a critical role in shaping a child’s future. Grounded in national data and lived experience, these stories highlight why integrated support is essential for lasting impact.
In South Africa, many people see early childhood education as a child’s first “classroom," the learning space where children build key skills during their first five years of life.
These early years are a period of extraordinary brain development. Neural connections form rapidly, shaping how children think, learn, regulate emotions, and interact with the world around them. When children are supported during this window, the benefits last a lifetime. When they are not, the gaps can be difficult, and sometimes impossible, to close later.
Yet for millions of South African children, quality early education remains out of reach.
National research paints a sobering picture.
Despite improvements in access to early learning programs (ELPs), less than half of preschool-aged children are developmentally on track for their age. Many children fall behind before entering formal schooling. These challenges are not evenly distributed.
Children growing up in poverty, informal settlements, or rural communities are far more likely to struggle with early learning outcomes than their peers in more resourced environments.
Studies from South Africa’s Department of Basic Education (DataDrive2030) and early childhood researchers consistently show that:
In practical terms, this means many children start school already at a disadvantage, struggling to follow instructions, focus on tasks, or grasp foundational concepts like numbers, letters, and problem-solving.
Education systems can work incredibly hard later on, but they are often playing catch-up.
Research in South Africa shows that strong early learning programs help children develop:
These skills form the foundation for success not only in school, but in life.
Children who receive nurturing, stimulating early education are more likely to:
When children miss out on quality early learning, the consequences ripple outward.
Teachers in foundation phase classrooms often report having to manage wide developmental gaps among learners. Some children arrive ready to learn, while others struggle with basic instructions or emotional regulation. This makes it harder for educators to teach effectively and for children to keep up.
For the child, the experience can be deeply discouraging. Falling behind early can erode confidence, increase frustration, and set the stage for disengagement from school altogether.
For families and communities, the long-term costs include:
This is why early education is not only a children’s issue, but also an economic, social, and moral one.
At Starfish Greathearts Foundation, education is not treated as a standalone intervention. It is part of a holistic approach that recognizes that children cannot learn in isolation from their circumstances.
Starfish supports education by:
This approach reflects what the data show: children learn best when their basic needs are met and they feel safe, supported, and valued.
For a child in a Starfish-supported program, education becomes more than a daily routine. It becomes a pathway to stability, confidence, and possibility.
Education is often described as the key to opportunity. But for that promise to be real, it must begin early.
When children are supported in their first five years:
At Starfish Greathearts Foundation, education is the first step in a much longer journey, one that leads toward dignity, independence, and a brighter future.
Because when we invest early, we don’t just change the trajectory of one child’s life. We strengthen communities and future generations.
Your support brings early learning, nutrition, and care to children who need it most. Your generosity will ensure far more children are on track, ready to learn, and positioned for a brighter future. Visit our website to learn more.
Source: Thrive by Five Index (DataDrive2030).
More about the author:
Born in South Africa, Marlize Adair brings both professional expertise and a deep personal commitment to uplifting young children and families. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA), an Advanced Certified Nonprofit Professional (ACNP) credential, and a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Family Studies, which grounds her work in child development, social-emotional learning, and nonprofit strategy.
At Starfish Greathearts Foundation, Marlize is the Director of Philanthropy and Communications and partners closely with the chapter CEO to lead philanthropy, donor engagement, and communications, connecting supporters to the life-changing impact of education, nutrition, and healthcare programs across South Africa. Marlize moved to the United States in 2004 and now lives in Seattle with her husband, Ian, and their son, Noah, while her extended family remains in South Africa.