Greetings Friends and Family of The Learning Initiative (TLI)
As schools have reopened for the second term, it is hard to believe that term one has come and gone, and what a fruitful busy term it has been. We have been privileged to expand our programme to 107 registered creches this year, with the support of public and private funding. Our team has grown to nineteen highly skilled therapists, two programme implementers and twenty-one facilitators, all driven to make a lasting impact on the lives of our beneficiaries. We have screened 2552 children between the ages of 4 and 6 years, to identify those that are developmentally at risk. Based on the
assessment results, parents/caregivers were informed by letter whether their child is included in the Blocks 4 Growth or Step-Up program.
1979 children were identified to be at risk of facing developmental delays. Intensive group therapy sessions started in all earnest at the beginning of March, with group sessions taking place twice a week at the creche. News on the ground is that parents and practitioners are equally excited as the program includes parent and teacher components that serve to further reinforce what the children learn in their weekly therapy group sessions.
It was heartwarming to see 1370 parents/caregivers making time and effort to attend meetings, hungry for knowledge and skills as to how they can stimulate their children in the home environment. It was at the end of term one that 2865 stimulation packs were distributed to parents to keep the little ones busy and stimulated during the holiday period.
