We provide vulnerable children with a welcoming environment that develops creativity and encourages curiosity for learning. Our Primary Education program cares for 145 students in grades R-7, as well as hundreds more in affiliate programs throughout the South Coast, by giving them academic, social, and emotional support. Each day after school, children eat a nutritious meal, complete their homework, play games, and participate in enrichment programs tailored specifically to their needs – such as grief counseling and HIV prevention. The Primary Education teachers develop engaging lessons that integrate literacy and mathematics with life skills, encouraging their students to find a sense of self-worth and set goals for themselves. Combining academic learning with life skills development, Thanda's Primary Education program enables children to think for themselves, cope with difficulties in their lives, take control of their own learning, and take the path toward educational success.

      Research shows that young students who don’t have access to consistent moral support and opportunities for personal enrichment are likely to give up on themselves and their education. Thanda counteracts this tendency by teaching children in a safe, motivating environment, where students are continually driven to achieve their goals by putting in the effort, believing in themselves, and taking advantage of the opportunities in front of them. In this way, Thanda empowers students in rural KwaZulu-Natal to break the cycle of poverty and disease that is crippling their communities. Our kids are using the power of education and determination to improve their own lives, as well as the lives of their family members and neighbours.