In Tsantsabane and Kgatelopele local municpalities, learning is being brought to life in a way children truly understand through puppets. With support from the Lesedi Solar Park Trust and training by the Rural Development Support Programme (RDSP), local organisations like the Kgatelopele Youth Development Centre are leading POPPETS puppet shows in their own communities. These sessions don’t just entertain; they teach children about safety, wellbeing, and making good choices, while ensuring the programme remains locally owned and sustained by the very people it serves.
The Rural Development Support Programme (RDSP), an implementing partner of the Lesedi Solar Park Trust, is rolling out the Programme of Primary Prevention: Educating Through Stories (POPPETS) across early childhood centres in the Tsantsabane (Postmasburg) and Kgatelopele (Danielskuil) local municipalities.
The initiative is being implemented across early childhood centres in the Tsantsabane (Postmasburg) and Kgatelopele (Danielskuil) local municipalities, where learning is brought to life through interactive puppet shows designed to make education engaging, relatable, and fun for young children.RDSP has trained and supported local youth-driven organisations, including the Kgatelopele Youth Development Centre, a community-based organisation in Danielskuil, to deliver the programme within their own communities, ensuring that the work remains locally owned, sustainable, and rooted in community participation.
POPPETS is a prevention-focused initiative that teaches children between the ages of 5 and 9 about important social issues such as peer pressure, substance abuse, HIV awareness, and personal safety through interactive puppet shows. Through storytelling and participation, the programme presents ideas that help children develop awareness and make safer choices from an early age.
At early childhood centres, the sessions become part of the learning environment. Facilitators use colourful characters and interactive storytelling to bring everyday situations to life, creating space for children to think, express themselves, and learn when and how to seek help.
Recently, at Danielskuil Intermediate School, the Kgatelopele Youth Development Centre delivered a POPPETS puppet show for ECD learners aged five. The theme focused on the seasons of the year and how to dress appropriately from not playing in the rain, to keeping warm in winter, and staying indoors during stormy weather.
One of the learners, five-year-old Thulile Makhabanee, shared her excitement: “My favourite season is summer because I get to play in the warm sun.”
Reflecting on the broader impact of the programme, facilitator Refilwe Rooiland explained: “Mostly within our communities we have many organisations trying to combat social ills, but they haven’t really reached the level of primary school or crèche children. Puppet shows enable us to reach their level, address these issues, and bring awareness directly to them.”’
A key strength of the programme is its community-based approach. RDSP trains local youth and community organisations to deliver the puppet shows, equipping them with the skills, puppet sets, and mobile stages needed to run the shows independently. This ensures that the programme is not only implemented in schools but is sustained within the communities themselves.
Programmes like these reflects RDSP’s commitment to strengthening rural community‑based organisations and aligns with the Lesedi Solar Park Trust’s vision of enabling thriving, self‑sustaining communities. By supporting locally led programmes that focus on both children and the people around them, the partnership contributes to building safer, more informed, and resilient communities.
As the puppets take their bow and the children return to class, the message remains clear: awareness begins with us, and ownership lies within our communities. Together, we can ensure that every child grows up informed, protected, and hopeful.