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South Africa’s strength has always been its people, and its people have always been beautifully and unapologetically diverse. A true rainbow nation. Walk into any South African school, and you will find different languages, cultures, abilities, and lived experiences learning side by side. At JumpStart, we believe that diversity is not a barrier to growth. It is the very foundation of it. That is why we intentionally designed our programme so that learners who are blind, deaf, phys…

On Thursday, 23rd of April 2026, JumpStart welcomed the learners from Luhlaza Secondary in the Western Cape, where we officially launched their JumpStart Club. New school. New leaders. Superhero energy. This is just the beginning. To learn more, or to support our work, visit: www.jumpstartza.com  

Meet Portia Khakhau, a Grade 10 educator at Moroka High School in the Free State and one of our proud JumpStart Club Guardians. “As a teacher at Moroka High School, I plan to support the Jumpstart Club at our school by mentoring students and creating engaging activities that boost learning and teamwork. Through the JumpStart programme, our learners will have an opportunity to grow, learn and develop valuable skills. We are grateful to be part of the JumpStart programme and can’t wait for our l…

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐀 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐉𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 Meet Theresa Nthabiseng – JumpStart Guardian and Deputy Principal at Makhanda Secondary school in Kwazulu-Natal (KZN). This is her story: “My journey with JumpStart and the JumpStart Club began in 2025, and it has been truly rewarding. The club has enabled our school to turn financial needs into opportunities, equipping learners with practical strategies, support, and the confidence to drive meaningful change through student-led projects…

Meet Ruwaida Bibi Ghasitha – Department Head at Estcourt High School in KwaZulu Natal. “My name is Ruwaida Bibi Ghasitha, and I am a Department Head at Estcourt High School, KZN. I’m excited to grow our JumpStart Club within my school by promoting a positive learning environment, and supporting community upliftment. We hope to inspire a greener, more sustainable future for our learners and community”. To learn more, or to support our work, visit: www.jumpstartza.com #JumpStartZA #InclusiveEd…

JumpStart recently launched the first of our “Educators Matter” workshop series in Cape Town, in partnership with The Trauma Centre. These sessions are designed to strengthen school spaces by equipping educators with the tools and support to better understand and respond to learner trauma within the South African context. Educators Matter Workshop, Peak View Secondary School, WC. Led by registered counsellor Siliziwe Xapile and Marguerite Holtzhausen, Director of The Trauma Centre, the w…

Meet Abigail Arendse, the Acting Deputy Principal of the Dominican School for Deaf Children in Cape Town. “JumpStart has really unlocked something in our learners; they’re eager to do better and help the community. They’ve stepped up as leaders, and you can see it in their behaviour at school and the influence they have in classrooms and on the playground. They’ve become deep thinkers and are finding ways to pitch in wherever they can.” To learn more, or to support our work, visit: www.jumpst…

Learners from St Cyprian’s School and the JumpStart Club at Dominican School for Deaf Children in Cape Town recently came together for a three-hour session of games, open dialogue, and shared experiences. St Cyprian’s School And The Dominican School For Deaf Children Gathering For The Session, WC. They learned sign language, talked about their schools, exchanged life stories, and spoke honestly about their hopes and dreams for the future. Learners engaged with one anothe…

By Luphomlo Joka, Managing Director at Global Leadership Consultants and author of The Ultimate Leader Shift. At Global Leadership Consultants (GLC), our strategic focus is to unlock the potential of individuals, enterprises, and communities through structured development, advisory services, and hands-on implementation. Why We Partnered with JumpStart Our partnership with JumpStart, within the Gift of the Givers Foundation ecosystem, is a direct extension of this strategic intent. From a ski…

South Africa’s strength has always been its rich cultural diversity – a melting pot of possibilities and potential. JumpStart, powered by Gift of the Givers Foundation, was created to turn that diversity into action by empowering young leaders and changemakers to build a more equal and united future. In our classrooms, you’ll find different languages, cultures, faiths, abilities, and lived experiences. That diversity should never be a barrier to growth; it should be a catalyst for it. We beli…