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

This episode asked a question no child should ever have to answer: Is it safe to use the toilet at school?

In Episode 2 of Our Voice, Our Future, we looked beyond the statistics and into the lived reality of thousands of South African children still forced to use unsafe pit toilets. From the tragic deaths that shocked the nation to the many unreported injuries and fears that shape everyday school life, this conversation exposed a crisis rooted in inequality, neglect, and broken accountability.

Together with our guest, we unpacked why the pit toilet crisis has persisted for so long, how unsafe sanitation affects children’s health, education, and dignity, especially for girls, and what real, practical solutions can look like in schools without access to water.

Most importantly, this episode reminded us that safe sanitation is not a luxury. It is a basic human right.

🎧 If you missed it, this is the conversation you need to hear.


📢 If you’ve listened, this is the one to share.

Powered by Breadline Africa.

#OurVoiceOurFuture #SafeSchools #EndPitToilets #SanitationForAll #EducationMatters #HumanRights

“If we change the beginning of the story, we change the whole story.”

For millions of children across Africa, that beginning is still marked by gaps in nurturing care, gaps that threaten their ability to thrive. The Nurturing Care Framework, a global strategy to ensure every child survives, grows, and reaches their full potential, offers a clear roadmap. Yet despite its promise, many children continue to face systemic barriers that hold them back.

In this episode, we speak with Patricia Martin-Wiesner, an expert in policy, organisational development, advocacy, and systems strengthening, with a focus on rights-based governance and human capital development.

Join us as we unpack why nurturing care is essential, what’s at stake if we fail to act, and how collective action can create a brighter, more equitable future for Africa’s children.

Our Voice, Our Future is a podcast powered by Breadline Africa that explores the challenges and opportunities shaping children’s lives in South Africa and beyond.

From early childhood development to literacy, sanitation, economics, and innovation, each episode amplifies voices from communities, changemakers, and thought leaders who share stories of urgency, resilience, and hope.

Season 1 brings six diverse conversations, from the pit toilet crisis to the power of books, from daring to dream to reimagining early learning, showing how local struggles connect to global futures.

This retrospective looks back on our journey through Season 1. Whether you’re an educator, policymaker, NGO leader, or someone who simply cares about children and equity, this podcast invites you to listen, reflect, and imagine together.

What happens when early childhood development meets entrepreneurial innovation?

In this powerful episode, Marli Hoffman joins us to explore how social enterprise models are transforming pre-schools into sustainable, women-led businesses that uplift entire communities. Drawing on her experience as co-owner of Little Ashford Pre-school and as a leader in educational innovation, Marli shares how she introduced tablet-based learning into classrooms, scaled its impact in underserved communities and reimagined what a pre-school can be.

Hosted by Kelsley Sharpley from Masicorp, this conversation explores how technology, infrastructure and enterprise can significantly impact outcomes for children, families and educators, particularly in low-income settings.

In this episode, Marli Hoffman unpacks:

The moment she realised pre-schools could be micro-enterprises

Her journey integrating technology into early learning

How ECD centres can drive education and economic empowerment

Why women’s leadership is key to thriving ECD ecosystems



Resources mentioned in this episode:

Marli Hoffman’s TEDx Talk – Preschoolers and Technology

https://www.amicorpcommunityfoundation.org/

GROW Educare Centres

SmartStart SA

Masicorp Education Projects

Breadline Africa

If you believe in building a future where quality early learning is powered by local leadership, share this episode and join the conversation.

#OurVoiceOurFuture #MarliHoffman #EarlyLearning #SocialEnterprise #ECD #BreadlineAfrica #Masicorp #PreschoolInnovation

Enterprise
Hosted by: Kelsley Sharpley (Masicorp Education Centre)
Guest: Marli Hoffman (Education Innovator & TEDx Speaker)

What if preschools weren’t just places of care, but dynamic micro-enterprises that uplift whole communities?

In this episode, we sit down with Marli Hoffman, early learning pioneer and advocate for tech-enabled education, to explore how social enterprise models are shifting the early childhood development (ECD) sector from surviving to thriving.

From the digital classrooms of Little Ashford to scalable models like GROW Educare and SmartStart, we dive into how women-led ECD centres are building sustainable, high-quality learning spaces while empowering educators and families.

Hosted by Kelsley Sharpley of Masicorp, this conversation bridges community infrastructure, women’s leadership, digital inclusion, and the future of ECD in South Africa.

Episode coming soon