Bongani Builds a Free Preschool for Children in Eswatini

For Bongani Mkhaliphi, one of the most painful things to witness was seeing children remain at home while others their age went to school. It was not because they lacked potential, but because their parents could not afford pre-school education.

“The most painful sight I have seen is children playing at home while others who are their age are in school developing and growing,” Bongani says.

The thought stayed with him.

After graduating from African Christian College in 2017, Bongani returned home and planted a church. As he served his community, he became increasingly aware of the needs around him, especially the lack of affordable early childhood education.

Bongani decided to open a free preschool for children in his community.

But he knew that passion alone would not keep the school running. He needed a sustainable way to support the vision without placing the burden on struggling families.

He started small.

First came a barber business. Then, after noticing that school-going children needed academic support, he started an afternoon tutoring programme. Later, he and his wife established a block-making business after successfully securing funding.

The businesses provided income, but Bongani had a greater purpose for what they generated.

The most painful sight I have seen is children playing at home while others who are their age are in school developing and growing.

Bongani Mkhaliphi, 2017 Graduate

Bongani also looked around his own homestead and saw an opportunity. He decided to turn a vacant room into a classroom where both the tutoring programme and the free pre-school could operate. Drawing from what he had learned at African Christian College, Bongani developed a programme for the children and recruited volunteers to help teach and care for them.

Today, children who might otherwise remain at home because their parents cannot afford preschool have a place where they can begin their education.

For Bongani, this is more than running a school. It is an investment in the next generation.

Through his free preschool, he is giving children a foundation for their future and helping raise a generation that can transform their communities.