In his 2026 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa's commitment to end child stunting by 2030 through strengthened nutrition interventions, emphasizing the first 1,000 days of a child's life. The pledge places early childhood development at the center of national priorities, focusing on empowering parents and caregivers at home. Programs like aRe Bapaleng aim to turn this national promise into community action.
South Africa's national commitment to end child stunting by 2030 was highlighted during President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Nation Address in 2026. He stressed the importance of the first 1,000 days, a critical period for brain development, emotional security, and future learning potential. This timeframe shapes children's economic participation and helps reduce inequality through inclusive growth.
The aRe Bapaleng program, meaning 'let’s play' in Sesotho, is the Seriti Institute's flagship initiative for early childhood development. Launched to support children up to age eight in underserved communities, it recognizes parents and caregivers as primary influencers. Since 2020, it has empowered over 135,000 parents and caregivers and engaged more than 4,000 unemployed youth as ECD Champions across all nine provinces.
Based on the Nurturing Care Framework, aRe Bapaleng promotes responsive caregiving, play-based learning, and community resilience. In 2025, it gained accreditation from the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations, opening formal career paths in early childhood development. The program has expanded to cover climate resilience, entrepreneurship, and life skills, linking child wellbeing to household and community stability.
Through parent clubs, home visits by trained Caregiver Networkers, active learning workshops, and partnerships with ECD centers, it builds a support ecosystem. For instance, a father in Modimolle, Limpopo, started Wellness Wednesdays with his son after participating. A parent in Orange Farm, Gauteng, noted they were 'clueless about nutrition' before the program. Collaborations, such as with the Work.Learn.Grow initiative, help families start food gardens for affordable healthy eating.
Ending stunting requires integrated systems combining health, nutrition, early learning, and caregiver support, involving government, civil society, and communities. A forthcoming book, 'Parental and Caregiver Involvement in South African Education,' features aRe Bapaleng's approach and will launch next week. The authors, Juanita Pardesi, CEO of Seriti Institute, and Getrude Mamabolo, Communications and Content Officer, emphasize building resilience from home outward.
