About one in three children in South Africa is brought up by a grandparent.. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
In the heart of communities across South Africa, there exists a quiet, unrecognised force holding families together: Gogo. Grandmothers are the true heroes of our nation, bringing up millions of children in the face of hardship, loss and poverty, often without support and recognition.
With HIV, unemployment and other socio-economic issues having torn through the fabric of many South African households, it is frequently Gogo who steps in to care for the youngest members of the family. In fact, an estimated one in three children in South Africa is brought up by a grandparent.
These women are pillars of strength, love and resilience. They nurture children with wisdom passed down through generations, instilling values, providing meals with their limited resources and ensuring their grandchildren are safe and cared for. In many cases, they are doing this while grappling with their own health problems, financial strain and the trauma of having lost their own children.
Nowhere is their influence more evident than in the critical early years of a child’s life. In early childhood development (ECD), the role of a caregiver is central. Studies show that the quality of interaction and stimulation a child receives in their first five years directly affects their cognitive, emotional and physical development. Gogos, though often lacking formal training, naturally embody the foundational principles of ECD through storytelling, song, structured routines and consistent emotional support.
There is an African proverb that honours grandmothers: “A grandmother is a library.”
This proverb speaks to the wisdom, stories, traditions and life lessons that grandmothers carry and pass down through generations. They are living repositories of knowledge and culture.
But many of these grandmothers face immense difficulties in getting formal support systems or ECD resources. Too often, they are excluded from training opportunities and community programmes because they do not fit the typical profile of an ECD practitioner.
Recognising and empowering gogos is vital to the success of any community-based ECD strategy. Programmes that include grandmothers in training, provide access to parenting resources and connect them to early-learning centres can significantly boost early-learning outcomes for vulnerable children.
As a nation, it is time we celebrated gogos not just as caregivers, but as educators, nurturers and community builders. They should be empowered as key partners in bringing up the next generation.
Theresa Michael is the chief executive of Afrika Tikkun Bambanani, which recognises grandmothers as primary caregivers, offering them parenting resources, training and access to early learning tools.