Grow ECD Success Story | Fikile Mofokeng | Khulani ECD Centre | KwaZulu-Natal
Running an early childhood development (ECD) centre is no small feat, but for Fikile Mofokeng, it’s been a journey filled with purpose, growth, and determination. Her story, from humble beginnings to running a thriving ECD centre in Newlands West, KwaZulu-Natal, is both inspiring and a testament to the power of support and the right resources.
An ECD Centre with a purpose
Fikile’s journey began out of love for children and a deep desire to support her community. What started as a way to care for her own children and their friends soon evolved into something much bigger. She recalls:
“In 2009, I had four children in my house, including my own, and the number kept growing as neighbourhood children came to play. At one stage there was a child who was fatally wounded after he was knocked over by a car while trying to cross the main road with his sibling going to crèche. That is when I started thinking of opening my own ECD centre.”
By January 2010, Khulani ECD Centre was officially up and running, and since then, it has grown from just 34 children and one teacher to now accommodating 80 children with a team of six teachers, one cook, and two drivers. The centre caters to children from 6 months to 5 years old, offering three classes.
Our main purpose in our organisation is to ensure the holistic development of children.
But as Fikile discovered, running an ECD centre comes with its challenges.
The Struggles of Running an ECD Centre
“We love helping children in our community, but we don’t have enough space for all of them. Also, we struggle to keep teachers because we can’t pay them enough or offer benefits. They often leave for greener pastures.”
These challenges are common for ECD centres in South Africa, which often lack the resources to provide high-quality education and retain qualified staff.
Joining a Community of Support
In August 2023, Fikile was introduced to Grow ECD through a friend at We Are Durban. She attended a presentation about the Grow ECD App, which immediately caught her attention.
“I loved the Grow App from the word go! It was similar to the administration system I had been using since 2017. Anele from Grow ECD invited us to the Grow Offices for the second presentation. He presented the app again and he showed us their educational kit and I knew from that point that I wanted to be part of Grow.”
Fikile attended the Grow ECD Business Accelerator Training, a six-week programme designed to give ECD owners the basic skills and tools to run their centres like businesses. The training covers essential areas like finance, management, and efficient day-to-day operations.
“I studied other Grow online courses for free on the app and that on its own was a bonus for me.”
A Professional Touch with the Grow ECD App
“Our administration system is more efficient and professional since we have started using the App. We do not have lots of paper work and we are saving lots of time. We are able to keep track of the records for our school fees and other fees payable and we are able to keep records for all our expenses.
We are now running our ECD centre like a business! I have introduced the App to the parents and they are fascinated by it. Our communication process has become easier now that we are using the parent communicator and parents are happy to be updated about their children every day. Parents were over the moon in June / July when they got their children’s Progress Reports through the App, they couldn’t stop praising us.”
Quality Resources for Quality Education
But for Fikile, the journey didn’t stop there. After completing the ECD Business Accelerator course and receiving her certificate, she invested in Grow ECD’s Small Business Programme. This three-year programme offered her more than just guidance—it gave her access to:
- A play-based, NCF-aligned curriculum
- A classroom kit filled with educational equipment
- Online, interactive teacher’s guides
- Ongoing business and education mentoring
- In-person training to support her growth
Fikile’s staff have felt the difference. The comprehensive curriculum and classroom kit provided the resources they needed to plan lessons effectively and keep the children engaged with fun, educational activities.
“Our teachers are excited because they now have all the learning tools they need. They’re not just teaching – they’re delivering quality education, and it shows in the children’s enthusiasm,” Fikile says proudly.
A Future Filled with Potential
Fikile’s story is a powerful reminder of what’s possible with the right support. From struggling with limited resources to running a professional, well-equipped ECD centre, Khulani has grown from strength to strength.
“Our children are always happy now because they are exposed to lots of different educational toys. They do not get bored since they are having different activities in a day which makes it fun and enjoyable. My staff are also happy because they are now able to do the proper planning for their lessons and activities. They are looking forward to this amazing change and they are prepared to learn more. We have no doubt that Khulani ECD Centre will grow with Grow ECD.”
Grow ECD is an early learning social enterprise. We equip ECD businesses and organisations with the skills, support and resources they need to provide 5-star early learning for every child.