Visitors can look forward to live entertainment, a reptile talk and demonstrations, a potjiekos competition and, of course, the warm welcome from the Nyoni team into their beautiful space.
Nyoni Education Hub has officially been registered as an independent school with the Department of Education — a milestone that marks not only an achievement for the school, but also for the community it serves.
Roots that run deep
Nyoni’s journey did not begin overnight. It is part of a much longer story, one that reaches back to Mhlalanyoni — meaning “where the birds rest” — a 10.8-acre property in the Lowveld bought in the 1970s by the visionary Dr. Sue Hart.
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There, against the backdrop of the purple hills of White River, Sue wove together education, environmental care and social justice.
When community leaders asked her to “give us back the Living Earth and all else will follow,” she answered with courage and opened her land for learning at a time when it was neither easy nor safe to do so.
The spirit of Mhlalanyoni, which embraces care for the Earth, belief in the power of education and a deep respect for community, has never left. It carried through to the founding of FreeRange in 2016, a small self-directed learning group started by Sanna Atherton. It then evolved into FreeChoice in 2020 under the leadership of Renata Stewart, who brought 35 years of teaching experience and a passion for progressive education. And now, since 2024, that legacy has blossomed into Nyoni Education Hub.
A school with a difference
With small classes of no more than ten students, each child is recognised and valued for who they are. Lessons are woven into hands-on projects rather than confined to rigid boxes. This is education at Nyoni.
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And at the heart of everything is the environment.
“Our children learn in nature and about nature — they see how their actions impact the world around them. This isn’t just a subject for us; it’s a way of life,” says Hannelien Somers, Nyoni’s principal.
Looking ahead
While the CAPS curriculum provides a solid academic foundation, Nyoni believes education must reach beyond rote (a learning technique that relies on memory and repetition) learning. This school prepares children for futures and jobs that don’t yet exist, and focuses on critical thinking, problem-solving, emotional growth and respect for the Earth.
“Nyoni means ‘bird’,” explains founder and director Renata Stewart. “It is a fitting name because we want every child to spread their wings and reach their full potential.”
This milestone of becoming a registered independent school is not the end of the journey – it is the beginning of a new chapter. Nyoni stands as both a school and a community hub, continuing the legacy of Mhlalanyoni while offering something new, hopeful and deeply needed in today’s world.
Photos: Little Miracles Photography.
