By Everson Luhanga
- Rebecca Mabunda, 28, from Tickyline village opened Step Ahead Academy day care in January 2025 to survive rising living costs.
- The centre employs four people and offers free enrolment for one disadvantaged child aged four or five including full care.
Rebecca Mabunda runs a day care centre in Tickyline village in Tzaneen while raising her own two children.
The 28-year-old mother opened Step Ahead Academy in January 2025 when food, transport and daily costs kept climbing.
Rebecca said starting the day care was about survival, but also about helping others survive.
She worked as a teacher at a private school for one year and saved money to open the centre. Today, Step Ahead Academy employs four people and supports four families with regular income.
For parents in the area, the centre offers something many struggle to find. A safe place for children to learn, play and be cared for while parents look for work or earn a living.
Rebecca said many families cannot afford private child care, but still need to work to put food on the table. That pressure pushed her to start the business.
Running the day care helps her pay household costs and stay financially independent during hard economic times. She said it has taught her budgeting, planning and resilience.
The centre also gives back to the community. Step Ahead Academy recently announced free enrolment for one child aged four or five from a disadvantaged background, including uniform, learning needs and full care.
Rebecca hopes to grow the day care one day so she can take in more children and create more jobs, while keeping the care personal and safe.
Her message to people without work is simple. Start small, use what you have and do not give up, even when money is tight.
Pictured above: Rebecca Mabunda.
Image source: Supplied
