Early Childhood Development Involvement
Safari collaborates with various organisations in Mamelodi West to support 28 preschools in nurturing the leaders of the future. Initiatives include events such as Farm Animal Day, ECD Sports Days, and Stop Child Abuse Day, among others, which provide children with learning, development and awareness opportunities in a fun and engaging way.
Little Denlyn Stars LOVE TO READ
Little Denlyn Stars LOVE TO READ and when you visit Denlyn Mall they will tell you, “if you read you will succeed”! Since the beginning of 2021 Mothusi and the Denlyn team embarked on a journey to share educational messages with Crèches and various Primary Schools surrounding Denlyn Mall. They read books, play educational games and do creative activities. At some primary schools we met learners from extremely underprivileged backgrounds and donated back packs as well as school uniforms. At Sun Valley’s Kiddies Corner & Montessori pre-school, we spread the “love” during Valentines week by handing out Denlyn’s own heart shaped stress balls. The learners had to participate in a variety of educational activities to earn their little red hearts.
A kids corner with a mobile library unit and comfortable reading space for all children are created on some Saturdays where young minds can come and read and discover the world of books.
Little Denlyn Stars
At Denlyn Mall, the Little Denlyn Stars programme is steadily taking shape. Learners from various schools regularly visit the mall, where they are introduced to the world of shopping, participate in educational games, and, through a partnership with Capital Live FM, explore the exciting field of radio broadcasting. By taking part in “on air” discussions and live broadcasts, learners gain confidence in public speaking while being exposed to new skills and opportunities.
In 2023, the Denlyn team partnered with the Siyakha Youth Foundation to launch holiday programmes centred on educational games. The aim of these initiatives is to nurture creativity, encourage a culture of reading, and instil a love for the written word among children in Mamelodi, particularly those from communities surrounding Denlyn Mall.
The team also introduced a unique literacy programme by transforming one of the mall’s passages – from McDonald’s to Vodacom – into a walkway lined with books. Children are hosted in this space, guided through reading sessions to ensure comprehension, and encouraged to share their experiences through book reviews and storytelling. The programme has since expanded to include a creative writing component, where groups of children illustrate something meaningful and then craft a story inspired by their drawings.
