The Birth of ASAP

Nancy Schongalla visited the Likhwezi Preschool in 2018 on a tour of Langa Township near Cape Town, South Africa.  Impressed by the contrast between the extreme poverty surrounding the school and the quality of care and teaching inside the small building, Nancy began correspondence with the principal, Nomonde Tshamlambo. She learned that donations from tourists had enabled this preschool to flourish. With guidance from Marlèse Nel, and funds from Nancy, her friends, United Christian Church in Levittown, PA, and Princeton Seminary students on a study tour to South Africa, the Likhwezi Preschool received a plethora of educational toys, a photocopier, bowls and spoons, clothing, and nonperishable food.

The Nels returned to Princeton, NJ in October 2019 for a 3-month study leave.  Nancy and the Nels met weekly to discuss their shared dream of funding preschool education beyond the LIkhwezi School, so that disadvantaged children in the Pretoria and Johannesburg areas could also be well-prepared for first grade, when government-funded education begins.  “Adopt a South African Preschool” seemed a fitting name for this expanded mission, although it should really be, “Adopt South African Preschools”. By the end of 2024, we have adopted not “a preschool”, but 223 daycares as they turn into preschools. We are resourcing the development of 10,790 children, and 1,162 women!  

A beautiful partnership formed between ASAP and PEN Forum (Participate, Envision, Navigate). PEN is a large, social service/justice nonprofit which was already reaching out to informal, in-home daycares. PEN asked ASAP to fund Educational Toy Library Training Hubs to make a quality preschool experience accessible in impoverished communities . Marlese Nel orders educational toys at cost from suppliers and PEN preschool coaches train the owners and staff of daycares to turn their settings into preschools. The women learn teaching and business management skills. The attend weekly curriculum planning meetings for themes aligned with the national preschool curriculum. They borrow different educational toys each week and their PEN preschool coach visits their school every week. As of December 2024, donors have enabled us to establish 8 Educational Toy Library Training Hubs in inner-city and urban areas of 3 provinces. (Also see “Who We Are” on this website.)