Khula Development Group was registered as a non-profit organisation (NPO) in 2004 promoting school attendance. The organisation is active in Paarl (Paarl East) and Stellenbosch (Cloetesville, Idas Valley and Klapmuts) in the Western Cape, South Africa. Thirty-three individuals are employed in professions ranging from community workers, programme facilitators and coordinators, social workers, social auxiliary workers and occupational therapists.

"In South Africa, 4 out of 10 Grade 1 learners drop out of school before reaching matric". -DGMT Zero Dropout

In our daily workings, we found reasons for absenteeism as follow:

-Parents have very little education
-Social circumstances are desperate
-Absent fathers
-Embarrassment about the lack of basic school necessities
-Substance and physical abuse
-Lagging academically and subsequent embarrassment from a difference in age
-Peer pressure and bullying from classmates

Khula’s mission is to promote a positive culture of learning and strengthen the value of education and attendance for children at risk of school disengagement through school, home and community-based preventative and restorative initiatives.

To fulfil our mission we run three programme across nine schools between Paarl and Stellenbosch:

School2home Programme
Goal: To provide school- and home-based support of learners presenting with early warning signs indicating an increased risk of school disengagement and to promote learner and parental / household engagement in the child’s education.

Love2learn Community Programme
Goal: To promote a culture of learning and strengthen the value of education and attendance through child & primary caregiver participation, youth activation and community collaboration.

Child wellbeing support service
This service is supportive to the School2Home and Love2Learn Community Programmes. Referrals meeting a specific threshold of needs and risks are be made to this support service.
Goal: To support vulnerable children through preventative interventions and collaboration with the aim to reduce risk of significant harm that impacts their safety, school engagement and well-being.

Through love and education, we can make a difference.