HCI Foundation

30/09/2026

Thank you, Jungle Theatre Company, for creating such a meaningful space for children to experience the richness of African storytelling and our shared heritage. It is wonderful to see learners and educators engaging with these stories in such a vibrant setting.

We’re grateful to have played a part in supporting this experience and celebrating the power of storytelling to inspire the next generation.

30/09/2026

A teacher’s dedication can leave a mark long after a child leaves her classroom.

At Bhodlani ECD, the teacher takes pride in hearing that her former learners are thriving at “big school”. Some have even gone on to pass Grade 12.

Storytelling and play are at the heart of her teaching, and she shares these approaches with other teachers through learning communities.

For her, the greatest joy is seeing the children she taught continue to learn, grow and succeed.

24/09/2026

Our heritage lives in the stories we share.

This Heritage Day, we celebrate the stories, languages, traditions and experiences that connect us across generations.

Across our ECD partners in South Africa, you will find a Biblionef South Africa hanging library: a space where children can discover the joy of reading, explore new worlds and encounter stories that reflect the richness of their own cultures and communities.
Books help keep stories alive. They create opportunities for children to learn about where they come from, appreciate the diversity around them and carry their heritage into the future.

As we celebrate our living heritage, may we continue to nurture a love of stories in the next generation.

Happy , South Africa!

22/09/2026

The first payment makes the harvest feel different. For the farmers at Upperthulini Garden, seeing what they grow begin to translate into income marks an important step towards building livelihoods from agriculture. With daily support from their garden mentor, they are building the skills and confidence to grow food for their households and for the market.

Last week, the Metsi Women’s Cooperative also reached a milestone of their own, making their first-ever delivery to Kruger Gate Hotel, supplying fresh spinach.

From access to land and practical mentorship to market opportunities, these steps show how food production can contribute to household food security while opening pathways towards income.

18/09/2026

The HCI Foundation celebrates Nkululo Mtyingizane, a Mathematics teacher at Soqhayisa Senior Secondary School in Motherwell, Gqeberha, on winning the prestigious 2026 UCT Stella Clark Teachers' Award.

Nominated by his former learner Sivuziwe Sitatu, now an audiology student at UCT, Mr Mtyingizane's story is one of extraordinary dedication: classes seven days a week, December holiday academic camps, and after-hours support so his matrics could finish the full Grade 12 syllabus by June, leaving months to prepare for finals.

But beyond the results, it's his heart that stands out. He built a classroom where learners could teach and challenge each other, gave every student ownership of their learning, and made sure no one , including learners facing disability or hardship, ever felt less capable.

"I do not look at myself as a teacher that is any different or special. I am a teacher who tries. I believe in hard work." — Nkululo Mtyingizane

Because of educators like him, learners from Motherwell are now studying to become engineers, doctors, data scientists and mechatronic engineers.

This is exactly the kind of impact the HCI Foundation is proud to see emerge from our communities. Congratulations, Mr Mtyingizane. Thank you for igniting the spark!

17/09/2026

A new space for children, with room to grow.

In a farming community in KwaZulu-Natal, Letcee is establishing a new ECD centre, creating a dedicated space where young children can learn, play and develop.

Alongside the centre, the local Chief has made open land available for a garden that will serve both the ECD centre and the wider community.

The development brings early learning and food security together, creating a space that can support children while contributing to the needs of the community around them.

15/09/2026

Celebrating the Joy of Reading!

What an inspiring day at The Bookery Quiz 2026 on 10 September at the Guga S'thebe Cultural Centre in Langa.

One hundred learners and teachers from 10 primary schools across Cape Town came together to celebrate reading for enjoyment under the theme The Pursuit of Happiness. Through poetry, book discussions, and quiz challenges, learners showcased their creativity, confidence, and love for reading.

Congratulations to St Paul Primary School, Arcadia Primary School, and Happy Valley Primary School for taking first, second, and third place respectively. But every learner who took part is a winner.

In a country where 81% of 10-year-olds cannot read for meaning, initiatives like these are more important than ever. They help nurture a love of reading, strengthen literacy skills, and open doors to lifelong learning and opportunity.

The HCI Foundation is proud of its longstanding partnership with The Bookery, whose work continues to spark creativity, build confidence, and empower young learners to thrive.

10/09/2026

For some farmers, a community garden begins with feeding a family.

At Mfuleni Community Garden, nine farmers are working towards something more: taking their produce to market. The farmers are expecting a harvest of around 1,200 cabbages, while a garden mentor provides daily support and monitoring.

There is also a bigger ambition behind the work. Creating opportunities that could encourage younger people to see farming as a viable livelihood as the current generation of farmers grows older.

From growing for consumption to growing for markets, the journey is about more than crops. It is about building opportunity.

09/09/2026

09/09/2026

A project support visit begins with understanding the places where the work takes place.

In Baracks community, near Greytown C*D, Letcee’s iZingane Zethu Centre serves children and families through early childhood development, food security, life skills and caregiver programmes.

The centre is more than a place where children learn. It has become a safe and welcoming space for children in the community.

Visiting the communities behind the programmes offers an important reminder: development work happens within the realities of everyday life with its challenges, opportunities and contradictions.