NEST Early Learning Center is a nonprofit early childhood development initiative rooted in the heart of Chris Hani Ext 2, Daveyton — a township that, despite being over 16 years old, has never had a proper ECD facility to serve its youngest residents.
We are a passionate, community-driven team of educators, caregivers, and innovators working to nurture children during the most critical years of their development. Our name, NEST — short for Nurturing Early Steps Together — reflects our commitment to building a safe, warm, and stimulating “nest” where children’s wings can take flight.
NEST is more than a crèche. It’s a bold response to a community need, a place of hope, and the first step toward a stronger, smarter generation in Chris Hani Ext 2.
At NEST, we provide a holistic early childhood development program that caters to children aged 18 months to 4 years, with plans to expand to Grade R and aftercare services in the coming years.
We focus on:
Play-based learning, guided by the national ECD framework
Social-emotional development, literacy, numeracy, and motor skills
Innovation & technology, through our Curiosity Corner and age-appropriate digital tools
Training and upskilling of ECD Practitioners and aspiring educators with accredited qualifications and short courses
We combine heart and structure to ensure that every child receives the foundation they deserve — not just for school, but for life.
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Born from a real need and built with the hands and hearts of Chris Hani Ext 2 residents.
We align with DSD, DBE, and SAQA standards to provide high-quality early learning experiences.
We integrate early tech exposure to spark curiosity, creativity, and 21st-century readiness.
NEST is proudly an initiative of Startup Mzansi Foundation, a nonprofit movement founded to unlock opportunities in underserved communities through education, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Startup Mzansi has long championed solutions that empower people from the ground up — from youth entrepreneurship to digital skills development. NEST represents a new frontier in that journey: starting not with the entrepreneur, but with the child, the family, and the foundation.
In a community like Chris Hani Ext 2 — rich in spirit, but long denied resources — we saw an urgent need to create something lasting. NEST is that beginning. And we’re just getting started.