Prime Highlights
- Women-led early childhood development initiatives are helping strengthen childcare services and community support systems in Worcester, Hammarsdale and Rustenburg.
- Partnership efforts are expanding early learning access, improving nutrition and creating opportunities for women working in community childcare.
Key Facts
- The programme supported 7,587 children across priority communities and provided more than 1.25 million DoMore Porridge meals in the past financial year.
- A total of 210 ECD practitioners and 32 day-mothers currently run supported childcare initiatives in the communities.
Background
Investment in women-led early childhood development (ECD) programmes is creating positive social and economic impact in Worcester, Hammarsdale and Rustenburg. Through its partnership with the DO MORE FOUNDATION, Rainbow Chicken has expanded support for community childcare programmes, helping more children get early learning, good nutrition and safe care.
According to the poultry producer, the partnership supported 7,587 children across its priority communities while improving daily nutrition and early learning. Over the past financial year, the programme also provided more than 1.25 million DoMore Porridge meals to children in these three regions, helping strengthen food security and support healthy growth.
The initiative supports both established ECD centres and small home-based childcare services. In several communities, existing centres received infrastructure support, training and operational guidance to improve the quality of care and learning provided to children. In others, particularly in Rustenburg, the programme supports informally structured day-mother services, equipping caregivers with skills, learning materials and practical guidance to improve the quality of early education and care.
At present, 210 ECD practitioners and 32 day-mothers run company-supported initiatives across these communities. These women form a critical part of local childcare systems, providing both employment opportunities and small-scale enterprise prospects in the growing childcare economy.
The partnership has also strengthened 168 ECD centres located near Rainbow’s operational areas. As part of its long-term sustainability strategy, the programme has installed 50 vegetable gardens and water tanks at selected centres to support nutrition and improve food resilience for children and their families. Alongside infrastructure improvements, the initiative includes training programmes, stronger governance structures and coordinated support systems to improve operational stability.
Kerry van der Merwe said the company sees investing in early childhood as part of its responsibility to communities. She said supporting ECD centres helps build stronger communities while ensuring children receive proper nutrition and early learning in safe environments.
As the country observes International Women’s Day 2026 under the theme “Give to Gain,” the programme shows that investing in women-led community initiatives can benefit children, families and local communities in the long run.