Woolworths Backs Six Rural Early Learning Centres

The retailer is funding six early childhood development centres across three provinces to improve learning environments for young children.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Child Care

Bold vector editorial illustration of a wooden block tower and small schoolhouse-shaped block standing alone on dry ochre veld under open sky, evoking early childhood learning in rural South Africa. — Woolworths is funding six early childhood development centres across the North West, Limpopo and Eastern Cape to improve learning environments for young children. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should South Africa prioritise funding early childhood education for children in rural areas?

Woolworths is supporting six early childhood development centres in rural communities across the North West, Limpopo and Eastern Cape. The support covers practitioner development, business and sustainability skills, and infrastructure improvements.

Why it matters

The Thrive by Five Index 2024 found that about 29% of four-year-olds, around 350,000 children, were not attending an early learning programme in 2024. The index also found a significant relationship between programme quality and children's learning outcomes, highlighting the value of investing in centres and practitioners.

The Thrive by Five Index 2024 reports that 42% of four-year-olds in early learning are on track, while 28% are falling behind and 30% are falling far behind. The source does not specify how these figures changed from earlier years.

The players

Woolworths

South African retailer that manages its social impact programmes through its Community Inclusive Justice Institute.

Rhiza Babuyile

Non-profit organisation partnering with Woolworths to pilot approaches to early childhood development in South Africa.

Impande Yotshani

Non-profit organisation partnering with Woolworths to pilot approaches to early childhood development in South Africa.

The details

Woolworths is piloting different approaches to early childhood development through partnerships with non-profit organisations Rhiza Babuyile and Impande Yotshani. The initiatives are expected to benefit more than 340 young children through improved infrastructure, hygiene facilities and learning environments.

2024: Thrive by Five Index data shows about 350,000 children were not attending early learning.

Early Learning Landscape

The Thrive by Five Index 2024 documents that roughly 29% of four-year-olds were outside early learning in 2024, a gap that private investment is now targeting. The index's link between programme quality and learning outcomes frames the support as a quality intervention rather than only an access measure.

Parents in the affected rural communities may see improved learning environments, hygiene facilities and trained practitioners at the supported centres. Families elsewhere in South Africa can use the Thrive by Five findings to judge how their own children's early learning programme compares on quality.

The takeaway

Programme quality is linked to children's learning outcomes, so parents choosing an early learning centre can ask about practitioner training and learning environments. Attendance matters too, since roughly 29% of four-year-olds were not in any programme in 2024.