SmartStart’s Week of the Stars conference at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways, Sandton, brought together 12 implementing partners, frontline staff such as call centre agents, coaches, hub personnel, programme leads, and trainers to celebrate 10 years closing South Africa early learning gap in quintiles 1 and 2 communities.
The Night of the Stars awards recognised partner organisations and individuals whose exceptional performance has propelled the network forward, and drives 15 000 SmartStarters who server over 150 000 children weekly.
Four-day gathering
On days 1-3, workshops tackled shared challenges with frontline staff and partner leadership collaborating on solutions.
Night of the Stars awards gala was hosted by Nicole Biondi and honoured SmartStart’s partners organisations and standout individuals. The evening’s keynote was delivered by Kulula Manona, Chief Director: Foundations for Learning at the Department of Basic Education. She emphasised Early Childhood Development’s (ECD) critical role in national progress, affirming the vital contributions of private and social sector partners. “Never for once think we do not know who the real champions are for this work and what has been achieved for children,” she said, underscoring the foundational strength these collaborations build for South Africa’s future.
Voices from a decade of transformation
Marking SmartStart’s 10th anniversary, the event featured powerful reflection from key figures. Ntjantja Ned, Director of Masoleng Rising, recalled the founding vision of partnering closely with government, municipalities, and communities “to meet children where they are.” David Harrison, CEO of the DGM Trust, described the network as “a collective brain and neural system creating consciousness about children” in society.
Mary Venter, Executive Director of Khululeka, highlighted the untapped potential within partnerships: “The true power of this partnership can only be realised if we all unlock our own potential, she said” expressing gratitude to every contributor driving the organisation’s success. SmartStart CEO Grace Matlhape echoed this sentiment, stressing a shared commitment to quality ECD provision and the “once in a lifetime opportunity” to reimagine collaboration. She thanked partners for their decade-long trust and outlined SmartStart’s future as an “open network for public good” poised to deliver universal access to quality early learning for every child.
Week of the Stars served as an important bridge in SmartStart’s landmark year, connecting to provincial SmartStarters Unite celebrations. Through these gatherings, the network honoured not only its past achievements, but also charted a bold path forward.
