New Developments to Reaiteka Pre-School Bring Hope to Children in Rural Northern Cape

Every child deserves a safe place to learn. After being subjected to overcrowded and unsuitable classroom conditions, the 64 children of Reaiteka Pre-School in rural Northern Cape will finally have... The post New Developments to Reaiteka Pre-School Bring Hope to Children in Rural Northern Cape appeared first on Good Things Guy.

May 29, 2026 - 12:44

New Developments to Reaiteka Pre-School Bring Hope to Children in Rural Northern Cape

Every child deserves a safe place to learn. After being subjected to overcrowded and unsuitable classroom conditions, the 64 children of Reaiteka Pre-School in rural Northern Cape will finally have the safe, warm, and inspiring new learning environment they truly deserve!

Maruping Village, South Africa (29 May 2026) – In the rural settlement of Maruping Village, about 15km from Kuruman near Kathu, a typical school day for 64 young learners aged three to five looked like being squeezed into overcrowded and unsuitable conditions at Reaiteka Pre-School.

While 38 of the children were accommodated in two prefabricated classrooms, the remaining 26 attended classes in a rusted, corrugated iron structure that became unbearably hot in the summer and freezing in the winter.

But these harsh conditions are soon to become a thing of the past.

Thanks to a powerful partnership between the Santa Shoebox Project (SSP) Legacy (the socio-economic development arm of the 20-year-old children’s charity), the Centre for Early Childhood Development (CECD), Breadline Africa, and Kathu Solar Park, a brand-new Early Childhood Development (ECD) building is opening its doors.

United by the shared belief that every child deserves access to quality early learning regardless of where they are born, these partners are offering South Africa’s most vulnerable children safe classrooms, upskilled teachers, dignity, and hope for the future.

A safe learning space for 64 children

Backed by R900,000 in development funding, the children and teachers of Reaiteka Pre-School will soon move into a brand-new brick-and-mortar building and improved, intentionally designed spaces that will provide a safer, more nurturing, and stimulating environment during the most critical years of early childhood development.

“This project is ultimately about restoring dignity, creating opportunity and investing in the future of children who deserve every possible chance to thrive,” says Deb Zelezniak, CEO of the Santa Shoebox Project.

Reaiteka Principal Vivian Kilelo says the centre currently accommodates 64 learners, with three teachers, three teaching assistants, two kitchen workers, and a gardener.

“The upgraded ECD centre will make a huge difference because we can now separate the children by age group and teach them in a safe, proper classroom instead of a shack. This means better learning conditions, a more structured learning environment, and more space for each child,” says Kilelo.

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The impact of collective effort

Zelezniak says this kind of impact work requires a collective effort, and this is why SSP Legacy is proud to partner with other credible non-profits to assist under-resourced communities.

The Reaiteka project marks the first collaboration between SSP Legacy, CECD, Breadline Africa and the Kathu ECD Project, supported by Kathu Solar Park.

Sarah Atmore, ECD Infrastructure Project Manager at CECD, which has been working in the Kuruman-Kathu region for three years, says this upgrade was well-deserved by the Reaiteka centre’s dedicated staff.

“This team has always gone above and beyond to offer young children in their community the best quality start in life, despite tough circumstances”.

For Warren Povey, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Breadline Africa, the real magic of the project is that:

“This incredible partnership shows that ubuntu is alive and well in South Africa. It’s just special to be involved in this project for the long-term with other committed partners.”

Atmore adds that the project team are “people who get things done”.

Beyond just infrastructure

Atmore says this infrastructure upgrade would also see the existing corrugated iron structures repurposed as an indoor-outdoor activity space for art, water play and messy play.

“One of the best things about this project is that the facilities serve multiple purposes, and it’s a space that the staff can be proud of.”

Importantly, the project extends beyond just pure infrastructure development. Reaiteka Pre-School is one of 27 ECD centres on the Kathu ECD Project, where centres receive comprehensive support by CECD in partnership with Africa A+ Schools. As part of this project, Reaiteka Pre-School’s teachers and leadership team are also receiving professional development support, including training in teaching and learning strategies, and leadership and governance support.

In addition, the school has received new educational resources, first aid training, fire and health equipment, and assistance with the Department of Basic Education registration processes, achieving conditional registration status.

“The staff have taken every opportunity to improve their skills, to improve what they’re able to offer to the children, and so it’s special to create a far safer and a far more conducive environment for early childhood development,” Atmore adds.

A turning point for the school community

For Kilelo, her staff, and the Maruping community, the new building represents a turning point.

“Before, we were teaching in a shack with limited space and resources. The main challenges were overcrowding, lack of proper facilities, and difficulty separating the children by age. It made it hard to give each child the attention they needed,” says Kilelo.

“We thank our partners for their support. We truly appreciate the work you do for our children… giving them a chance to learn in a proper environment.”

Building a legacy of early learning and development

The Reaiteka Pre-School forms part of SSP Legacy’s broader mission to create sustainable, long-term impact in vulnerable communities across South Africa. While the organisation is widely known for delivering personalised Santa Shoebox gifts to children each festive season, many people are unaware that its Legacy programme also funds and supports the building and upgrading of remote ECD centres, as well as teacher training and reading corners nationwide.

Over the years, SSP Legacy has helped reach more than 180,000 children through these initiatives. Reaiteka is its eighth school construction project since 2006. Other builds took place in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

The Reaiteka Pre-School project stands as a reminder that even in some of the country’s most remote communities, hope can be built – one partnership, one classroom, one child at a time.