Our Voice, our future, Stories of hope to bring change

Our Voice, Our Future is a podcast by Breadline Africa, sharing stories that inspire action and explore the issues shaping the lives of children and communities across Southern Africa.

In this episode, host Rachel Kolisi sits down with David Harrison, CEO of the DG Murray Trust and one of South Africa's leading voices on child health and early childhood development, to unpack why the first 1,000 days of a child's life are so critical and what happens when support arrives too late.

Together, they explore the realities faced by families living in communities where the nearest clinic is too far away, preventative healthcare is difficult to access, and poverty often determines a child's opportunity before they even begin school.

Links:

Breadline Africa: https://breadlineafrica.org/


Our Voice, Our Future Podcast: https://breadlineafrica.org/podcast-our-voice-our-future/


DG Murray Trust: https://dgmt.co.za/


Harnessing the Thunder by David Harrison: https://dgmt.co.za/publications/


South African National Department of Health: https://www.health.gov.za/


First 1,000 Days Initiative (Western Cape Government): https://www.westerncape.gov.za/first-1000-days

What if the most important investment we could make in our children wasn't inside the classroom, but outside it?

In this episode of Our Voice, Our Future, powered by Breadline Africa, host Kelly Morkel sits down with Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews to explore how urban planning can become one of the most powerful tools for improving early childhood development and creating stronger communities.

From safe walking routes and accessible green spaces to neighbourhoods where Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres and schools become community anchors, this conversation examines how the places children grow up influence the adults they become.

The discussion also highlights Cape Town's efforts to strengthen the ECD sector, including support for more than 2,600 ECD centres and initiatives aimed at reducing barriers to registration and improving access for families.

Together, Kelly and Deputy Mayor Andrews unpack the role of government, communities, civil society and the private sector in creating child-friendly cities that are safer, healthier and more inclusive.

Whether you're a parent, educator, policymaker, urban planner or community leader, this episode offers practical insights into why designing cities for children means designing a better future for everyone.

Research & Articles

UNICEF South Africa – Early Childhood Development
https://www.unicef.org/southafrica


Children's Institute, University of Cape Town – South African Child Gauge
https://ci.uct.ac.za


Department of Basic Education – Early Childhood Development
https://www.education.gov.za



Cape Town Today – Building the Future: Cape Town's Drive to Transform Early Childhood Development
https://capetown.today/news/building-the-future-cape-towns-drive-to-transform-early-childhood-development

What if the laptop gathering dust in your office storeroom could become a child’s gateway to learning? In this episode of Our Voice, Our Future, we explore the powerful intersection of digital inclusion, education equity, and sustainability with Karin Boomsma, circular economy strategist and sustainability advocate from DigiCircle4All and TheRockGroup.

We unpack how circular technology solutions are helping to bridge both the digital divide and the opportunity divide, transforming retired corporate devices into educational tools while creating skills development and employment pathways for young people trained in device refurbishment.

Articles

Circular Economy & E-Waste

Digi Circlel 4 all

DigiCircle4all resource

World Economic Forum – A New Circular Vision for Electronics

https://www.weforum.org

Ellen MacArthur Foundation – Circular Economy and Electronics

https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org

UNICEF – Digital Learning and the Education Divide

https://www.unicef.org

OECD – Bridging the Digital Divide in Education

https://www.oecd.org

South African Government – E-Waste and Digital Inclusion Policies

https://www.gov.za

Our Voice, Our Future (Powered by Breadline Africa)

Season 2 Episode 1: The Inner World of Young Minds in a Noisy World

In today’s fast-moving, overstimulated world, childhood is changing.

In this episode of Our Voice, Our Future, host Kayang Gagiano, Chief Partnerships Officer at The Reach Trust, is joined by Lisa Voortman, Co-Founder of Grow ECD, to explore the emotional lives of young children growing up in increasingly “noisy” environments.

From digital overload and social comparison to bullying and emotional safety, this conversation unpacks how modern pressures shape early childhood and what caregivers, educators, and communities can do to create calmer, more nurturing spaces where children can truly thrive.

Resources & Further Reading

Grow ECD: https://www.growecd.org.za

Breadline Africa: https://breadlineafrica.org

The Reach Trust: https://www.thereachtrust.org/

Produced by Creafluence Pty Ltd

The season opens with a deeply personal exploration of childhood in the modern age.

Today’s children are growing up in environments filled with constant stimulation, digital noise, social comparison, emotional pressure, and rapid change. Beneath the surface, many are quietly asking questions they don’t yet have the language to express: Am I safe? Am I seen? Do I belong?

This episode steps into that inner world.

We explore how anxiety, overstimulation, exclusion, and bullying shape emotional development, not always through overt harm, but often through silence, disconnection, and unmet needs for belonging.

Guest:

Kayang Gagiano, Chief Partnerships Officer at The Reach Trust

Lia Voortman, Co-Founder and Director of Grow ECD