Ntsiki Gwendolyn Bereng, an entrepreneur building an early childhood development legacy in South Africa  — Lionesses of Africa

Why should anyone use your service or product?

For the longest time African children, and children from rural and marginalized areas have been underserved when it comes to Early Childhood Development(ECD) services. Apple Tree Montessori is for those communities and by those communities. African people need representation in all aspects of their life and it should start with Education in ECD. Our services are not exclusively for African families, but they are our first priority. Anyone else who really wants to learn about diversity and inclusion are also welcome.

Tell us a little about your team

We have Lesedi Mahibila, she is a Dramatic arts student whose passion is in teaching little ones about different types of production and she loves cooking. When the need arises, she teaches drawing and cooking.

Kelebogile Mahibila is Lesedi’s twin sister. She is the most compassionate and patient person when it comes to the little ones. She is currently an assistant in the 3- to 6-year-old environment, and she is studying towards a qualification in Psychology.

Mpho Rasepae is the 18 month to 3-year old’s’ directress. She has been working with children in formative years since 2006. She loves telling stories in Setswana, reading and working in the garden.

Ntsiki Gwendolyn Bereng, is the founder, directress and yoga instructor at Apple Tree Montessori. She enjoys cooking with the kids, reading, DIY projects, traveling, and she is also a novice gardener.

Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?

I don’t have any formal entrepreneurial background. I have fond memories of driving around in one of my father’s taxis collecting and counting the passengers fare. My exposure in the education space piqued my interest in the education business. It was when I was doing my first year in university that I knew I wanted to open my own school. I just didn’t know how to at the time, so I decided to differ my dreams. The need for this school came back in 2010 and I felt that I had enough support and resources to start the pre-school and the rest would follow as I went along.

What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?

Our plan is to collaborate with organisations/individuals who are like minded and want to elevate the Black communities across South Africa and beyond. We have just launched the Adopt-A-3-year-old campaign, where we appeal to corporates and individuals to sponsor a 3-year-old or two for a period of three years (2022 to 2025).
We are also partnering with an NGO in Mpumalanga on a similar campaign but slightly bigger in terms of our reach and that involves an Afgri-Academy. We want the school in Mpumalanga to be our teaching school where Training and Development will be provided for our directresses and student teachers. All in all our plans include a Training and Development Institution – satellite schools across South Africa.