05/01/2021
Mpho’s light will continue to shine in all the lives she touched every day.
Our love and condolences to the Play Africa family and Mpho’s loved ones.
Her drive and work in making the Play Africa programmes inclusive will always be remembered.
♥️
Play Africa: “It is with profound sadness that we grieve the passing of our beloved friend and colleague, Mpho Tsele, who passed away on the evening of Friday, 1 January.
Mpho is survived by her husband, Lebohang, her three children, Andindedwa, Tolek Namedi Phathudi-Mphahlele (Toto) and Tshenolo Lebohang Junior (LJ), and her mother, siblings, and extended family.
Mpho was an integral part of Play Africa's team, serving as our Play and Learning Supervisor and Inclusion Coordinator. Most recently, Mpho led our Science Film Festival programme, supported our Heal and Connect programme, and hosted many of our virtual sessions through the pandemic.
All who met Mpho felt her exuberance, her deep faith and her love of learning through play. Mpho embodied Play Africa's belief that the right to joyful, self-directed learning and and play was a fundamental human right. She was a champion of all children and their rights under the Constitution, with a special focus on the inclusion of children with different abilities and special needs, and children who are often marginalised in our society.
Her passing is a tragic, unimaginable loss for her family, for Play Africa, for South Africa and for the global children's sector. She leaves an inspiring legacy.
We will keep you all posted with news of a virtual memorial in the coming days.
Do you have special memories of Mpho at Play Africa? Please share your memories in the comments, or send us a message at the button below. We will compile all of your messages in a special memory book to give to her three children.”
