Provantage Media Group changing lives, communities by investing in early childhood development

PMG is a leading marketing services group started in 2003 with operations in nine African countries and the UAE.

Provantage Media Group (PMG) is partnering with Ekukhanyeni Relief Project to support two of the 10 additional early childhood development centres that the project is taking on.

PMG believes it is critical to invest in the early development of the country’s children.

Founded by Liza Rossi, Ekukhanyeni Relief Project operates primarily in the informal settlements of Lawley and Kokotela, south of Johannesburg. Their ECD centres provide the only formalised education available within these severely under-resourced communities.

Since 2005, they have reached 13 457 children through their programmes, with 6 454 children aged four to six years educated through their early learning classes, 3 421 through Grade R and 3 035 through Grade RR – achieving 84.4% school readiness since 2011.

Each year, 99 female ECD practitioners are upskilled and are employed in the ECD centres.

“This is a huge achievement, but with so many children needing support, the project must keep growing,” said Rossi.

“Our interventions fully satisfy our nation-building economic, social and environmental sustainability pillars. But what about the power and potential of the human spirit? It is well known to also be a pillar of sustainability but much less spoken about. That’s what we do. We sustain, nurture and nourish the human spirit.

“We bring about a sense of connectedness, hope, collective goodwill and deep belief in the enduring human values of love and human dignity. We are overjoyed that PMG is now a part of our unique legacy that speaks to a Higher Purpose as we nurture our children for tomorrow to nation build, correct the imbalances of our past and lessen the economic disparity in our beloved country,” explained Rossi.

Ekukhanyeni is adding10 more under-resourced and fledgling ECD centres to its current network of 33 centres. The project will convert these to ECD centres of excellence, substantially upgrading the level of education and care their children receive.

The project will upskill the owners/operators of these centres, empowering them to run their social enterprises more effectively and to create employment within the community. It will also oversee the skills development training of ECD teachers to better nurture and educate the children in their care, thereby furthering their future career potential.

In doing so, Ekukhanyeni’s expansion project will ensure access to quality early education and care for an additional 206 vulnerable children each year, so that 1030 more children are ultimately nurtured, fed, and educated over five years.

It will also provide skills development and employment for 50 women each year.

To help Ekukhanyeni grow, PMG will provide financial support for two of these centres. PMG is committed to helping to build a better future for South Africa and believes that the best way to do this is by investing in the education and wellbeing of the youngest citizens.

“Protecting and developing young children is good in itself,” said Chris Hitchings, PMG’s director human capital and special projects.

“It is also a way to break the cycles of poverty and inequality and to nurture a healthy, happy society in future. We want to contribute to realising a country of healthy, talented, resourceful citizens. As such, we’re honoured to support the incredible work the Ekukhanyeni Relief Project does. This is a way to invest in what matters, and what works.”