About Us
Making the world a better place
for all of us.
About Us
Making the world a better place
for all of us.
About Us
Making the world a better place
for all of us.
Our mission
To give children from impoverished communities the chance of the quality education they deserve, so they can dream of a better future – not just for themselves, but for the whole of South Africa.
Our team
Board members
Born in the UK to a South African parent, Sally gained a BSc at Oxford Brookes University. After graduating, she emigrated to South Africa where she and her partner founded Tractor Media.
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Once established, Sally took leave out of the workplace to raise her four children and during this time she and her husband decided to sponsor the education of a young boy from Khayelitsha. It was from this experience that Sally realized the great inequity of education in South Africa. To help address this Sally sought the experience of her mother, Sharon Scudamore, who had twenty years of working in the NGO sector.
They founded Bright Start together in 2008 with the objective to create better education opportunities for deserving children from poor communities. Sally is passionate about helping children achieve their dreams and the longer-term empowerment of South Africa. Sally and Sharon still work together, serving on the board of Bright Start along with a diverse group of invested board members.
Sharon grew up in South Africa and was educated in Pretoria. After marrying an Englishman, Geoff, Sharon spent thirty years in the UK as a mum of two children, a small-scale farmer and business owner.
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Once her children had left home to further their studies, Sharon returned home to South Africa to ‘make a difference’ and to be around for her elderly parents. Since her return to South Africa in 1996, Sharon has spent twenty years in NGOs in Khayelitsha and Hout Bay.
She is a co-founder of Bright Start and has volunteered her time developing the organisation and actively participating as a board member since its inception in 2008. Recently, Sharon was pivotal in the formation of a UK charity whose focus is education sponsorship in South Africa.
Carmen is originally from Chile and came to South Africa in 1999. In Chile she worked at Grey International advertising agency as an Account Director.
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Carmen has been involved with Bright Start since its beginning, helping and supporting where required.
For the past ten years, she has been a volunteer for National Sea Rescue Institute, serving as the administrator officer as well as sea going Class 1 Coxswain. She is the first woman to achieve this rank in the fifty years of the Institute’s history.
Her passion and commitment to making a difference also led her to work at T-Bag Designs as Project Manager, where the focus of this company was mainly to create meaningful jobs. Unfortunately, due to Covid, the business closed its operations but Carmen continues to follow her passion for community development. She firmly believes that we can all be an agent of positive change in our communities and that even the smallest gesture can make the biggest impact in someone’s life.
Carmen’s involvement with Bright Start in the past year has led her to become Chair of the Board, taking over from Sharon Scudamore.
George is a CA (SA), BCom Hons (Taxation), CFP and is employed as a corporate tax advisor at Momentum Metropolitan Holdings – a company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange – where he advises on tax matters for the financial services group.
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He served for six years as Treasurer on the School Governing Body of Kronendal Primary School in Hout Bay while his son was attending the school. During this time, he came to serve on the Bright Start Board after being approached with regard to beneficiaries that were attending the school. He remains passionate about the financial sustainability of these gems of education and the importance of education to provide a head start in life. He re-joined the Bright Start Board in 2020 – the year his son completed schooling.
Outside of the professional environment, George enjoys the outdoors and can be found trail running, kayaking, hiking, mountain biking or just generally being out and about with friends and family.
Goodwill Moyo has been a member of the Bright Start Board since 2014.
Goodwill was born and grew up in Johannesburg where he was lucky enough to be awarded a bursary at Saint Stithians College. His blessing of receiving a quality education was one of the drivers behind him serving on the Bright Start Board.
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He believes that everything he has achieved in his life is the result of the good education he was privileged to receive.
Goodwill left Cape Town six years ago to relocate back to Johannesburg. He remains involved with Bright Start as much as possible and is proud to see the youngsters who he has had a hand in mentoring, growing into wonderful young people.
Suzan has been a Co-Director at Clowns Without Borders South Africa since 2018. She has over eighteen years of experience working in the non-governmental sector, public sector and the UN – in particular with refugees, children and education. She has an MSc from the London School of Economics in Sociology and Complex Emergencies.
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Suzan comes from a Swedish speaking and Tatar background in Finland, grew up in the UK, and has worked in Finland, the UK, Switzerland, Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa. She is a strong believer in the empowerment of individuals to take control of their lives and make informed decisions without harm. Suzan loves reading, has written a novel and loves being outdoors in the middle of nowhere.
After graduating from UCT with a BA and a teaching diploma, Keith went on to Exeter University where he was awarded his MEd. He then spent 41 years in education, firstly as a Latin and History teacher before being appointed as principal of Wynberg Boys’ High School and Springfield Convent.
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He is currently a mentor with the Principals Academy where he coaches principals all around the peninsula predominantly in deprived areas. He stresses to principals that nothing is possible unless systems and structures are in place. He strongly believes in the importance of relationship building in the school community with educators, parents and learners all fulfilling their respective roles. He also acknowledges the importance for South African schools to give their pupils opportunities for leadership development, so that one day they will be able to make a difference in whatever sphere of life they choose to involve themselves.
After retirement, he wrote a book on raising boys ‘Before the Wax Melts’. As well as his work with the Principals Academy, Keith also serves on the boards of the Masicorp Education Trust as Chairman, Bright Start Education Programme in Hout Bay, Jacques Kallis Foundation, Supera Moras Trust of WBHS, and is a member of the Bishops Council.
Brandon is the father of Tristan who is on the Bright Start programme. He works for a Dstv company in Hout Bay and is an active member of his local church where he assists the congregation Rector in his ministerial duties. Brandon is the Sunday School congregation co-ordinator, Confirmation teacher and congregation Covid co-ordinator.
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Brandon is a strong advocate of Bright Start. Having grown up in the Hangberg community of Hout Bay without a father and with five brothers, he recognises how Bright Start helps provide greater opportunities to children in his community – opportunities he could only dream of as a child himself.
Jill grew up in Cambridgeshire (UK) and gained a Bachelor Degree in Education. After teaching for twenty years in both private and state primary schools in the UK, she moved with her husband and two daughters to Hout Bay. In South Africa, Jill taught art at Greenfield Girls Primary school.
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Horrified by the poverty that was at the end of the road, she started working with some women who lived in the local township, Imizamo Yethu. In 2003 she established Original T-Bag Designs – a socially responsible business, with the aim of creating both meaningful and empowering jobs in Hout Bay. Recycled tea bags from all over the world were re-purposed into an extensive range of unique, high quality products that sold in both their V&A Waterfront and Hout Bay shops, and outlets all around the world. In March 2021, due to Covid, the absence of tourists and after twenty-one years, this sustainable business was sadly forced to close.
Involved with Bright Start from its inception as a part sponsor, Jill was asked to join both the South African and UK Boards. Not only is she passionate about changing lives through education, her years of teaching, running a local business and working with Hout Bay communities afford her a good insight into the challenges Bright Start faces.
Mhinti is a wife and mother of three children – one of whom, Abigail, joined the Bright Start programme in 2015. Born in Guguletu, Cape Town, Mhinti graduated from Fezeka High School and worked in a call centre while studying at Academy of Learning College where she was awarded a Diploma in Business Management. In 2008, Mhinti went on to graduate with a BA in Community Development at Unisa (University of South Africa).
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Mhinti and her husband moved to Imizamo Yethu, Hout Bay in 2014 to work with the Vineyard Church at Ikhaya Le Themba. During this time, they realized the need for youth outreach programmes in the community and founded the NGO Sakhisizwe, A Youth Development Project, which offers a safe space for youths aged between 13 and 25 years old.
As well as their involvement in the community, Mhinti and her husband are entrepreneurs. They started a small tourism business called Pato Tours, which specializes in township and e-bike tours. Mhinti enjoys interacting and building relationships with people from all over the world and from different cultures.
Staff members
Erin’s earliest years were spent in Botswana, before her family moved to Cape Town where she has spent most of her life. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in English and History before doing a Postgraduate Certificate in Education.
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Erin taught History at Wynberg Girls’ High School for three years, intent on encouraging dialogue and teaching critical thinking skills among her students. Completely invested in the history of South Africa and how it has shaped the country’s current jarring inequality, Erin felt a need to contribute directly towards narrowing the huge disparities in the quality of education offered to the youth of South Africa.
She joined Bright Start in 2018 as the Education and Mentoring Specialist; monitoring the academic progress of the learners while ensuring they have the holistic support and mentoring necessary to succeed. In her spare time, Erin enjoys growing organic and rare edibles, walking her two dogs and spending time with her husband and family.
Johann Julies is a husband, father of two boys and has been a valuable staff member of Bright Start since 2015. Born in Darling in the Swartland district, Johann graduated from Atlantis Senior Secondary high school and went on to work in a textile factory for ten years, seven of which he was a supervisor.
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After his company closed its doors in 2003 due to the cheap imports of material from China, he moved to Hout Bay. It was then that he was offered the opportunity to become a qualified driving instructor and for seven years worked for a local driving school.
Since 2015, Johann has been Bright Start’s admin clerk and driver. He keeps the children safe, and ensures they are always on time and where they need to be, whether that is at school, after school activities or health appointments. It is quite some feat.
Born in Mtata in the Eastern Cape, Nandipha Breakfast’s life began in hardship. When she was ten years old, her parents moved the family to Cape Town and, despite speaking no English, Nandipha’s educational journey began.
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Her desire for a better future, not only for herself but also for her family and community, was recognized by a local organization, Volunteers Direct. Through them a private sponsor offered to pay for Nandipha’s schooling and she enrolled at the prestigious Camps Bay High School. It was here that Nandipha realized the importance of a quality education. But while her gratitude for her own education was immense, her concern was even greater for the millions of others, many who live with her in the township of Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay, who are stuck in South Africa’s unequal education system.
This desire to not only give back but also to give hope to her community, propelled Nandipha into being involved with various community organisations – Inkwenkwezi Youth and Sports Centre, Teachers for Africa, and James’ House orphanage. Nandipha’s heart lay particularly in improving the lives of women and children in her own community – women and girls who hadn’t been given the same opportunities as she had. Nandipha set up Sistahood in 2010. Through mentoring, coaching and providing access to opportunities and skills that they otherwise would not have, Nandipha inspires and motivates these women and girls to reach for a more empowered future.
In 2020, Nandipha joined the Bright Start Educational Support Program. As a qualified Social Auxiliary Worker, she assists with the education programme, and works directly with our learners and local service providers. Nandipha recognises how a quality education can help break the cycle of poverty, and her passion lies in mentoring and uplifting children through educational opportunities.
Our partner
Bright Start has been selected as a partner charity of Sawabona-Africa in Germany.
Sawabona-Africa fundraises on behalf of charities that improve the lives of children in South Africa.
All their partner charities have been approved for accountability and transparency.
Please click on the link to read more about Sawabona-Africa and if you would like to donate to Bright Start in euros.
100% of donations received will be transferred to Bright Start.
If you live in Germany, you can donate in euros and receive a German Tax Certificate.
Bright Start has been selected as a partner charity of Sawabona-Africa in Germany. Sawabona-Africa fundraises on behalf of charities that improve the lives of children in South Africa. All their partner charities have been approved for accountability and transparency. Please click on the link to read more about Sawabona-Africa and if you would like to donate to Bright Start in euros. 100% of donations received will be transferred to Bright Start. If you live in Germany, you can donate in euros and receive a German Tax Certificate.
Our financials
Financial Statement
2019
Financial Statement
2018
We’re an open book
Income model
Expenditure model
Corporate & private donations
Parent contributions
Interest
Education support programme
Remuneration
Rental & administration
Transport
Where the money comes from
Where the money goes
Income model
Corporate & private donations
Parent contributions
Interest
Where the money comes from
Expenditure model
Education support programme
Remuneration
Rental & administration
Transport
Where the money goes
How we are doing
- 75% of our learners achieve over 60% average (derived from year end reports 2020)
- 100% matric pass rate
- Our children are happy, fulfilled, challenged and busy!
- More and more schools are joining our programme
- We have an excellent relationship with all our sponsors and partners
- Our parents are thriving too!
How do we know?
- We monitor our outcomes through quarterly reports, quarterly mentoring sessions with our children, parents and teachers
- We hold regular focus group discussions and capture information and feedback through questionnaires
- We communicate with sponsors and encourage our children to share their experiences
How do we know?
- We monitor our outcomes through quarterly reports, quarterly mentoring sessions with our children, parents and teachers
- We hold regular focus group discussions and capture information and feedback through questionnaires
- We communicate with sponsors and encourage our children to share their experiences
Get in touch
Bright Start gives children in South Africa access to
the quality education they deserve.
Bright Start gives children in South Africa access to the quality education they deserve.