Adopt a South African Preschool celebrates 5th birthday!
This Valentine’s Day marks the fifth birthday of Adopt a South African Preschool (ASAP), a Yardley-based nonprofit which makes early childhood education accessible in disadvantaged South African communities. Founded in 2020, ASAP has established eight educational toy library training hubs in areas still impacted by the legacy of apartheid.
These libraries provide vital resources to informal daycares, helping them evolve into proper preschools. Each library supports 30 facilities with games, puzzles, musical instruments, puppets, books, Legos, phonics programs, and sports equipment. Daycare owners receive weekly curriculum-based training and visits to their settings by preschool coaches from ASAP’s nonprofit partner.
The initiative addresses a critical need: 80% of South African fourth graders struggle with reading comprehension, and 40% cannot read at all. Research shows that early childhood development and first-grade performance are crucial predictors of future success. ASAP’s innovative and scalable model is addressing this crisis by giving children the foundation needed to thrive.
Donors have enabled ASAP to have remarkable impact in just five years: eight toy libraries in three provinces now serve 223 preschools, empowering 1,162 women to become educators, and enabling 10,790 children to learn through play.
As ASAP celebrates this milestone birthday, the volunteer-run organization welcomes community support and Valentine’s Day – ASAP birthday gifts! Interested parties can make tax-deductible donations (Tax ID #87-2630897) mailed to ASAP, 156 Pine Lane, Yardley, PA 19067, or through the website adoptasouthafricanpreschool.org. For networking opportunities and volunteer information contact, Nancy Schongalla at nancy.schongalla@gmail.com.