Mario Claasen’s Mission to Give Every Rustenburg Child a Safe Learning Place to Grow
Good Things Guy | 17.02.2026 19:00
Mario Claasen is a true champion for early childhood development. In addition to strengthening access to early learning programmes in under-resourced communities, he has helped register 50 learning centres in Rustenberg – providing not just access but quality, nurturing environments for children to thrive.
Rustenburg, South Africa (17 February 2026) – For more than 20 years, Mario Claasen has been a steady advocate for children’s rights in South Africa, working at the intersection of education, health and public funding to ensure that young children are given the best possible start in life.
“I always had a passion for the development sector and specifically started in the HIV/AIDS sector, and later children’s rights. Entering the ECD sector ten years ago was a natural progression for my passion and interest in capacity building of adults to support the child, whether in the home or in an ECD centre,” Mario shares with Good Things Guy.
Championing ECD Where it is Needed Most
In 2022, he brought this lifelong commitment to the Early Care Foundation (ECF), where he now serves as Head of Programmes. ECF is a long-standing non-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening early learning and development for children from birth to five years.
When the organisation first began more than 25 years ago, very little was known about how many young children were accessing early learning programmes (ELPs) or early childhood development (ECD) centres.
Today, thanks to a growing national network of ECD partners, practitioners and champions like Mario, access to early learning has expanded significantly, especially in under-resourced communities.
A Transformational Work
Mario’s work has transformed countless lives, including his own. While his career is full of milestones, he finds the greatest reward in hearing from those directly impacted – both the children and the adults.
“In one case, a mother on the Cape Flats shared how our programme helped her to not only be a better mother to her new baby but to her older children as well. This was a whole household behaviour change, and this is significant as it has long-lasting effects for them all.”

Reimagining Early Learning in Rustenburg
One of the most significant milestones has been the Bana Pele Mass Registration Drive, which, through a partnership with the Do More Foundation, has helped officially register 50 ECD centres in Rustenburg, unlocking government support and long-term sustainability for these facilities.
This partnership focuses not only on access, but on quality to ensure that children are learning, growing and thriving in safe, nurturing environments.
“One of the principals we trained in Rustenburg has transformed her ECD centre into a conducive environment for children and parents. She shared her learnings with all the staff in her centre, and you can see the improvements in their learning programmes and the impact on the children’s learning as well,” Mario shares.
Beyond ECD registration, the partnership delivers a holistic basket of services, including nutrition support, caregiver training, infrastructure improvements, leadership development and child protection.

Encouraging Men to Step into the ECD Space
As one of the few men working in the ECD sector, Mario is also particularly passionate about encouraging more men to become caregivers and practitioners, not only leaders or administrators.
“Male practitioners and caregivers are becoming more visible,” he explains.
“We’re seeing men attend parenting workshops and take on caregiving roles. They challenge the belief that men cannot care for young children.”
He acknowledges, however, that resistance still exists but continues to advocate for redefining caregiving roles in South African communities.
Giving Children the Best Start is the Heartbeat of the Mission
Asked what he finds most gratifying about the work he does, Mario says he loves being part of laying foundations that will benefit families and his community for generations to come.
“I enjoy the transformational work we do. When we enter an ECD centre at our needs assessment phase, and then conduct the capacity building and other interventions to the point where a centre has been transformed into a safe, healthy, and inspirational learning space for children and their parents. This transformation can take 12 months to three years, but this is dependent on the willingness and drive of the women’s leadership in the ECD centres we work with.”