On International Day of Play, Cotlands and Jidmac, a property development and rental management company , celebrated more than the power of play, they celebrated a new vision for the future of early childhood development in South Africa.

The launch of the new Cotlands Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Hub in Princess, Roodepoort marks an exciting milestone in creating connected communities where young children, parents, caregivers and early childhood practitioners can all thrive. Developed in partnership with Jidmac, the Hub is designed to expand access to quality, play-based early learning opportunities for ECD Practitioners, Parents and Children while bringing South Africa’s Bana Pele (“Children First”) Blueprint to life.

The Bana Pele Blueprint calls for a shift away from fragmented early childhood programmes towards connected ecosystems that place children at the centre, ensuring every child has access to quality early learning by 2030. The Cotlands ECCE Hub model demonstrates exactly what this vision can look like in practice.

For almost 90 years, Cotlands has partnered with vulnerable children and communities to increase access to quality early learning. Building on decades of experience in play-based learning, toy libraries, practitioner training and community programmes, the organisation has developed an integrated model that strengthens every part of a child’s support network.
Each ECCE Hub serves as both a centre of excellence and a community resource, bringing together multiple services under one roof.

These include:
• ECD centre that delivers high-quality, play-based early learning programmes.
• Parent-and-child playgroups that strengthen responsive caregiving during the critical first three years of life.
• Toy library service that serves under-resourced ECD centres in the community and extends learning through play into homes and communities.
• Accredited and non-accredited training, mentoring and professional development opportunities that build the capacity of early childhood practitioners.

“Our ECCE Hubs are more than early learning centres; they are ecosystems of care,” says Dr Monica Stach, Chief Executive Officer of Cotlands. “The Bana Pele Blueprint challenges us to think beyond individual programmes and create connected ecosystems that support children, families, practitioners and communities. Through our ECCE Hubs we are turning that vision into action.”
The partnership with Jidmac reflects a shared commitment to strengthening communities. Through its Jidmac Upliftment Centre, the company has created a safe, well-managed environment where organisations like Cotlands can deliver life-changing programmes that support children and families.

The new Hub also aligns closely with the priorities outlined in the Bana Pele Blueprint by supporting practitioner development, creating nurturing learning spaces, strengthening community assets and encouraging collaboration across the early childhood development sector. Cotlands plans to establish additional ECCE Hubs across South Africa, creating a scalable model to improve access to quality early learning for more than 1 million young children who currently lack these opportunities.

As Cotlands continues to expand its network of ECCE Hubs, the organisation remains committed to creating lasting change, building stronger communities, empowering practitioners and parents, and ensuring every young child can learn, play and ignite their full potential.

Watch the highlights video and experience the excitement of this landmark moment.