ECD Connect
Technology to transform early childhood
A proudly South African initiative building digital tools for the early childhood development (ECD) sector.
Our products help practitioners and organisations plan activities, track progress, reflect on impact, and generate data to strengthen programmes and inform policy.
ECD Connect aims to:
Reduce the daily
administrative and cognitive load that practitioners face
Provide meaningful feedback and connect practitioners to their community of practice
Equip organisations to monitor, support, and respond to their programmes
Key features of all ECD Connect products:
- Simple and easy to use
- Offline first design
- Minimal data use
- Runs on any device with a browser
- Informed by needs identified through field-based research
- Provides real-time insights to ECD stakeholders
- The ECD Connect App is free to use for any ECD practitioner in South Africa
…and so much more!
Our products:
Core products
Purpose-built for the early childhood education community
- ECD Connect App - free for any ECD principal or practitioner
- ECD Connect Partner - tailored for resource and training organisations
- ECD Connect Open Source - fully open source and ready to adapt
Special projects
We have also collaborated with SmartStart and Grow Great on special projects supporting practitioners in health and education.
Data to strengthen South Africa’s ECD ecosystem
ECD Connect provides a real-time view of ECD programmes across South Africa. Over time, our aim is to leverage this data to inform government planning, monitoring, and investment in ECD, empowering policymakers to make evidence-based decisions that give every child the best possible start in life.
Embedded at the DG Murray Trust, a renowned public innovator, our goal is to help ensure that all children in South Africa, regardless of socio-economic background, enter Grade 1 healthy, confident, and equipped to learn.
FAQ
How do I know which ECD Connect product is best for me?
ECD Connect offers different versions to meet different needs:
- App – Free to use for any practitioner in South Africa.
- Partner – Customised version with additional support, reporting, and admin tools.
- Open Source – Full codebase available to adapt or integrate with other systems.
The best choice depends on your role, your organisation’s needs, and whether you want full control over the platform or a ready-to-use solution.
Who do I contact if I work for an organization that wants to become an ECD Connect Partner?
Please reach out to our team using this form: Get Involved
What is ECD Connect’s privacy policy and how is data used?
See our website privacy policy here: ecdconnect.org.za/privacy-policy/ and our user policies here: ecdconnect.org.za/user-policies/
How was the app designed and built?
From the start, ECD Connect was shaped using a design thinking approach, grounded in practitioners’ real needs. We spoke to 148 potential users and held 18 usability testing sessions to make the app simple, intuitive, and relevant. We consulted ECD experts and behavioural scientists to make sure the app reflected best practices. We continue to monitor usage, speak directly with users, and plan further usability research to identify new features and streamline the app where needed.
Who designed and paid for ECD Connect?
Partners: DG Murray Trust, SmartStart, Grow Great
Funders: Global Innovation Fund, Department of Science & Innovation through the Technology Innovation Agency, and the DG Murray Trust.
What is the long term aim of ECD Connect?
Our goal is to help all practitioners deliver quality ECD services and to support universal access to early childhood programmes by 2030.
In partnership with
ECD Connect is supported by the Global Innovation Fund and DSI/TIA as part of the South African Government's initiative to promote and support novel South African technologies.
