At Thanda, we are fixing the broken education system in South Africa by holistically supporting youth through creative learning, ultimately cultivating empowered, resilient, lifelong learners.

To better understand how our Creative Learning Curriculum is disrupting traditional educational models and supporting children in their ability to learn, grow and lead, we invite you to meet five children of the children in our After-school Programme – Lisakhanya, Amahle, Vuyani, Melokuhle, and Simtholile. We will also introduce you to two other instrumental figures in their lives, their guardians and their Thanda Facilitators, who are local community members trained in education.

Meet Lisakhanya Cele

Hello, my name is Lisakhanya, I am 6 years old! My favourite thing about Thanda is playing and reading books. Every day when I wake up, I’m excited to start my day with a bath and to get ready for school. My favourite books to read are, Oh No, George, Odd Dog Out, and Spiderman. If I had to choose one book out of these, it would be Spiderman; I like the fact that he saves people! Read more.

Meet Amahle Dlamini

Hi, I’m Amahle and I am 7 years old. At Thanda, I have learned about different books! I like learning, I even told my family about the book we read about Hoppy, and when I grow up, I want to be a teacher so that I can share my love of learning! Read more.

Meet Vuyani Ngcobo

Hello, my name is Vuyani Ngcobo. I’m 6 years old. I love everything about Thanda! My favorite book is Spiderman. I wish I could help people like he does and be as strong as he is, so when I grow up I want to be a soldier. I love my community because this is where we get our food and water! Read more.

Meet Melokuhle Mbhele

Hi, my name is Melokuhle and I’m 6 years old! At Thanda, we learn how to read, to colour in and draw, to cut and make masks for our plays, and we get to watch movies! My favourite is drawing. When I grow up, I hope to be a police officer! Read more.

Meet Simtholile Mthembu

Hello, I am Simtholile. I am 9 years old. I love school and going to Thanda! I enjoy the books we read at Thanda; Tidy is my favourite. I like the fact that the book ends with the badger getting help from his friends to put things back to the way they were. I really enjoy interacting with all the children and all the events we have at Thanda! Read more.

At Thanda, the children in the Class of 2030 are learning academic skills such as literacy, numeracy, and science while also experiencing interpersonal growth through the development of our five Game-changing Skills: self-esteem, perspective, creativity, critical thinking, and empathy. These skills prepare the children in our community to become leaders capable of creating the changes they want to see in their lives and in their communities.

This giving season, join us in empowering the Class of 2030 to learn, grow, and lead! As we look to the future, we look to our youth and we look to you. For just $1 a day, we can provide our Creative Learning Curriculum to a child in our After-school Programme!

Please consider making a donation today to support the Class of 2030.