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Could a Franchise for Early Learning Close the School Readiness Gap? | SmartStart 2026 #SkollAwardee

Skoll Foundation
Skoll Foundation•Apr 7, 2026

Why It Matters

By aligning private‑sector franchising with public funding, SmartStart demonstrates how scalable early‑learning solutions can simultaneously boost women’s economic participation and improve long‑term human capital, a critical driver for South Africa’s growth.

Key Takeaways

  • •SmartStart trains unemployed women to run home‑based preschools.
  • •Franchise model reaches 160,000 children weekly across South Africa.
  • •Early‑learning gap narrowed from 25 to 6 points nationally.
  • •Government pledged 10 billion rand for early childhood development.
  • •Goal: provide quality early education to one million children by 2030.

Summary

SmartStart, a South‑African franchise for early childhood education, seeks to close the school‑readiness gap by turning unemployed women into community‑based preschool entrepreneurs.

The program targets the 1.3 million children aged three to five who lack access to high‑quality early learning. It has recruited over 15,000 women, who receive training, mentorship and a small business grant, enabling them to open home‑based centers that now serve more than 160,000 children each week. Since its launch, the achievement gap between low‑ and high‑income pupils has fallen from 25 points to six.

Participants like Felistus Ramulita describe how the training gave them confidence to open a centre, while mothers report that reliable childcare lets them seek employment. Government officials, including Education Minister Gwab, note a new 10‑billion‑rand allocation for early childhood and pledge to reach one million children by 2030 through partnerships with SmartStart.

If scaled, the model promises a triple dividend: immediate relief for working parents, income generation for women entrepreneurs, and a stronger foundation for future learners, positioning early education as a lever for economic growth and social mobility across South Africa.

Original Description

What if the most effective solutions to global challenges didn’t require new infrastructure—but a new way of seeing existing potential?
SmartStart is transforming access to quality early childhood education in South Africa by building on community assets already in place. The organization trains, coaches, and supports local entrepreneurs—mostly women—to run early learning programs from their homes or other community spaces. This social franchise model ensures millions of children can access affordable, high-quality early education that sets them on a path toward greater success.
With a scalable platform, strong evidence of improved child outcomes, and deep engagement with government systems, SmartStart is on its way to securing universal early childhood education across South Africa.
This film explores how SmartStart is changing the life trajectories for a generation of children while equipping thousands of women with opportunities to achieve economic stability and independence.
Visit SmartStart here: https://smartstart.org.za/
Visit the SmartStart profile page on Skoll.org: https://skoll.wf/smartstart
About Grace Matlhape, CEO
Grace Matlhape is the Chief Executive Officer of SmartStart. She leads an inspiring social franchise that is revolutionizing access to high-quality early learning in South Africa, targeting 3- to 5-year-old children. Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling the SmartStart model to a network of 15,000 early learning practitioners who lead high-quality early learning enterprises. Looking toward the future, Grace is dedicated to reimagining SmartStart’s role as a key field catalyst that creates new access to ECCE.
Grace is a seasoned executive deeply rooted in the social justice and development fields in South Africa, with a strong focus on children and young people. Prior to her role at SmartStart, she served as the CEO of loveLife, an internationally acclaimed organization dedicated to HIV prevention and fostering social and behavioral change among young people. With extensive expertise in education and health across sub-Saharan Africa, Grace possesses a deep-seated passion for implementing innovative strategies that amplify the impact of evidence-based interventions. Her work focuses on reaching and positively influencing large segments of the population, ultimately striving for lasting change.
In 2023, Grace was one of two South Africans named top 10 finalists of the Africa Education Medal, Africa’s most prestigious education accolade. As an Ashoka fellow, she is part of a global network of change leaders dedicated to social transformation. Grace is not just a leader; she is a keen problem-solver whose work—past and present—focuses on scaling impact for societal change.
VIDEO CREDITS:
Directors - Gabriel Diamond, Matthew Beighley
Editor - Matthew Beighley
Producer - Gabriel Diamond
Cinematography - MightyFine Productions, Gabriel Diamond
Story Advisors - Tim Carlberg, Norma Rodriguez,
Executive Producer - Phil Collis
Editorial - Alissa Gulin
Poster Design - Emily Lam
About the Skoll Awards For Social Innovation
The Skoll Foundation presents the Skoll Awards for Social Innovation each year to a select group of social innovators whose work targets the root causes of societal problems that are ripe for transformational social change.
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