A humanitarian contribution: An effort to improve rural education and social transformation?

Abstract

Due to the inequalities of the past in the apartheid era in South African, many communities, particularly in the rural areas, are still improvised. Children in these rural areas have no access to education – especially in the early childhood development (ECD) phase. To bridge this gap of unequal education, the Greater Edendale Muslim Society (GEMS) adopted a philanthropic approach and has applied a system of providing quality education in creches of excellence in the ECD phase in the community of Edendale. Built on the foundation of the theories of prosocial behaviour and the need to belong, this study stands testimony to the mindset that prosocial behaviour spurs on and triggers more helping behaviour that benefits a community and society and may, therefore, be effective in contributing to the development of a country as well as assist in eradicating years-old social ills and imbalances. Philanthropy is a diversification of organisational choices and actions as it is of wider social and community concerns. With this study we aimed to demonstrate that prosocial and helping behaviour fulfil an individual need and snowballs to contribute to a wider good, which in this case, is ECD and building a nation, economy, a country and its future. Clearly, since the 1994 democratic elections in South Africa, there has been a remarkable improvement of education in all sectors of society. There is still much to be done to improve the quality of life for all South Africans, particularly those previously disadvantaged who reside in the rural areas. From a developmental perspective, using a quantitative, positivist approach, through the use of structured questionnaires, we aimed to assess whether parents and teachers believed that the GEMS programme was providing unique education and promoting social transformation. The study was undertaken in 10 rural areas in Edendale (Pietermaritzburg) and consisted of a sample of 13 teachers and 293 parents using the cluster sampling method. Data were collected using a self-developed questionnaire of which the psychometric properties were statistically assessed and evaluated using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results show positive parent and teacher perceptions of the programme and its positive contribution to education and the transformation of society. Evidently, altruistic behaviour and the psychological need to belong has the potential to contribute to ECD and improving the ethical growth of the community, society and an emerging economy like South Africa.