24 March 2026
Zelda Nieuwenhuis doing maths exercises with two learners at Balvenie Primary School. Photos: Mary-Anne Gontsana
At 28 schools across the Cape Flats, women are being trained to help grade 2 and 3 pupils improve their mathematics through the creative use of games and activities.
GroundUp visited a MathMoms class at Balvenie Primary School in Elsies River earlier this month. A group of 14 excited learners entered the class and assembled on a mat. Class began with a motivational song. “I am learning and I am growing every day. It’s okay to make mistakes, I’ll try my best today,” they chanted.
They were then separated into pairs, each with one of the seven moms, who use props such as dominoes and playing cards to teach them the principles of addition. As a special treat, the children made milkshakes and learned how to measure ingredients.
MathMoms started in 2016 in Elsies River and has since expanded to several communities where there is a high prevalence of gang violence, sexual violence, substance use problems, and unemployment. These include Lavender Hill, Macassar, Athlone, Steenberg, Kensington and De Doorns.
Each of the 28 schools participating has seven moms and one mentor who oversees the lessons.
Learners at Balvenie Primary School in Elsies River participate in a MathMoms class.
The moms receive “extensive training” in maths, which opens up career possibilities, says MathMoms communications manager Judy-Ann Cilliers.
The training also includes a life skills and financial literacy component. MathMoms receive a stipend for the classes they help facilitate.
Retired teacher Bertha Losper is one of the organisation’s “kindness curators”, who are responsible for emotional well-being in the classroom. MathMoms are trained in tension and trauma releasing exercises, says Cilliers.
“We hear a lot of traumatic stories from the learners. Neglect at home, abuse,” she says.
“MathMoms has helped me a lot in terms of helping my own child who was struggling with multiplication,” said Elvena Rhodes, whose daughter is in grade 3.
“Because we incorporate Afrikaans and English in our lessons as well, there was a significant improvement in my daughter’s Afrikaans marks.”
“The programme is a stepping stone,” says Cilliers. “The moms are not merely prepared to provide math lessons, they are prepared for the world of work. Coming from unemployment, where many of them have never worked outside of the home before, they learn the valuable skills of working in teams.”
The children learn how measurements work by making their own milkshakes.
