HOW WE WORK

A platform for change

Edu-care leaders in poor communities are powerful agents of change. Akwande Ukukhanya recognises this and invests in their potential through a platform that takes inspiration from the world's leading social enterprise incubators. 


Each intake consists of cohorts of 15-25 creche owner-managers from the same geographical area. These groups go through a one-year programme together and then graduate into an ongoing fellowship. 


We partner with a local community development organisation to identify candidates, invite applications and conduct selection interviews. 


Minimum selection criteria includes at least two years of continuous operation; a demonstrated willingness to learn, take initiative and develop; an NQF 4 or higher ECD qualification for the owner or their teaching staff; and the creche being a registered legal entity. 




The first year's training programme focuses on personal development, business and management skills. It kicks off with a weekend retreat that centres around personal purpose and storytelling. After this, regular half-day training sessions are conducted twice a month and supplemented with accessible online modules. The content is custom-designed for township creches and include digital literacy, personal & business finance, HR, the social business model, customer service, marketing, child safety, health, nutrition, self-mastery and resilience. 


Fellows benefit from in-person refresher and supplementary training opportunities every two months, based on their needs, e.g. managing business and family, preventing and reporting child abuse, growing your business and group counselling. 



Access to practical resources, information, and advisors both online and in-person helps creches in their self-driven compliance and operational improvement efforts. These resources include: 


- Compliance-related information, such as how to register as a business or a non-profit and the various regulations that impact creches. 

- Business management- related information and services, such as accounting, legal and HR. 

- ECD-related, such as curriculum tools and engagement with the local ECD forums. 

- Other practical help, such as bulk-buying opportunities, growing food gardens, free Wifi and trauma counselling. 



The platform includes a centralised fund that supports the entire network of creches. The centralised fund is structured to integrate diverse funding sources, such as grants, private donations, crowd funding, impact bonds, corporate sponsorships, and revenue from relevant products aimed at participants.


Akwande Ukukhanya creches also benefit from direct funding education, information and opportunities, such as stokvel-type funds, government subsidies, community engagement and events, optimising their fee structures, extra-curricular activities, in-kind contributions and diversifying revenue streams.  





The first year of the programme involves intensive mentoring and coaching. Mentors conduct regular on-site visits and support and monitor the implementation of operational improvements through a scorecard. Mentors are selected not only based on their business skills and coaching ability, but also based on their understanding of and connection to the community. 


Peer support is equally as vital. There is a strong focus on interpersonal relationship building between the members of each cohort during the first year. Online groups offer immediate support in addition to in-person meetings. After the first year, regular in-person meet-ups are organised for fellows and there is a strong focus on the ongoing sharing and celebration of success.



Contact us