Growing Hope in Zone 9

Date: 01 January 2025 - 05 May 2026

There’s something incredibly powerful about people who quietly keep showing up for their community.

That is who Assy is.

Through our quarterly Equipping Days hosted by Empower the People, we have the privilege of connecting with preschool principals and teachers from across our community in George. These gatherings are designed to create space for learning, encouragement, growth, and leadership development.

Over time, Assy became one of those leaders whose passion quietly began to shine brighter and brighter. - David May

At the heart of Zone 9 in Thembalethu, Assy leads  with deep care and commitment. What started as a simple desire to serve children in her community has grown into a beautiful vision — one that now impacts around 80 children every single day.

But what makes Assy truly special is not only her love for the children. It’s the way she pours into the people around her.

She believes in building a strong team culture among her staff through encouragement, creativity, teamwork, and joy. She understands that empowered teachers help raise empowered children — and that leadership starts with the environment we create for one another.

Through this journey, we had the privilege of coming alongside Assy and supporting her vision for the school. Together, we were able to help provide three newly tiled classrooms for the children of Sondelani Day Care, creating cleaner, brighter, and more welcoming spaces for learning and play.

We were also able to bless the school with a new printer. One of the most beautiful moments was seeing Assy immediately begin printing new pictures and learning materials for the children before we even left.

It was a simple reminder that when passionate leaders are given tools and support, they use them right away to create impact.

Assy’s story is one of faithfulness, steady growth, and servant-hearted leadership.
And we are incredibly grateful to continue walking this journey alongside her and the amazing team at Sondelani Day Care as they keep empowering the next generation of leaders in our community.