PhilanthropyEntrepreneurship

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

Skoll Foundation
Skoll Foundation•Apr 7, 2026

Why It Matters

Closing the early‑learning gap equips children with foundational skills, while empowering women as educators fuels inclusive economic growth and reduces long‑term inequality.

Key Takeaways

  • •Early learning gaps in South Africa driven by poverty.
  • •SmartStart trains unemployed women as home‑based early educators.
  • •Franchise model reaches 160,000 children weekly across nation.
  • •Academic gap narrowed from 25 to 6 points through program.
  • •Goal: provide universal pre‑school access to one million by 2030.

Summary

SmartStart, a South‑African franchise for early learning, aims to close the school‑readiness gap that leaves millions of children under five without quality pre‑school education, a shortfall driven primarily by poverty.

The model recruits unemployed or part‑time women, trains them to deliver high‑quality, home‑based curricula, and pays them fees that qualify for government subsidies. Today the network comprises roughly 15,000 community entrepreneurs, reaching over 160,000 children each week and generating income for the educators.

Grace Matlhabi, SmartStart’s executive director, highlighted that the program has shrunk the academic achievement gap from 25 points to six. Minister of Basic Education Sifiso Gwarube and President Cyril Ramaphosa have endorsed the partnership, noting its role in delivering early education to the most marginalized families.

If the target of one million children by 2030 is met, the franchise could reshape South Africa’s human‑capital pipeline, boost female employment, and provide a replicable template for other low‑income economies seeking scalable early‑learning solutions.

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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