Redefining Education and Child Wellbeing
Norleen Zulu has spent more than two decades shaping education from the inside out, first in classrooms and school leadership, then through large-scale literacy, child mental health, and caregiver empowerment programmes. Her work reflects a clear philosophy of when education is grounded in care, creativity, and evidence, it becomes a force that can change not only academic outcomes, but lives.
I am an Educator’s Educator with over 20 years of experience. At the heart of my work is a commitment to quality, equitable education and to creating learning environments that serve not only learners, but parents, caregivers, and educators as well. I believe deeply that education is not a solo effort, it thrives through collaboration, trust, and shared responsibility.
Throughout my career, I have worked closely with parents, guardians, and fellow educators, recognising that their involvement is essential to a child’s holistic development. When adults are equipped, learners thrive. That belief has shaped every role I’ve held and every programme I’ve built.
Creativity is central to my approach. I believe learning should be engaging, meaningful, and joyful. I intentionally use innovative and interactive teaching strategies from multimedia and hands-on activities to project-based learning to encourage exploration and critical thinking.
Creating healthy, safe, loving, and fun environments for both learners and educators is not optional to me; it is foundational.
I am proactive in seeking new approaches to enhance teaching methodologies and curricula. My love for literature, the arts, music, dance, nature and even the ritual of a good cup of coffee inspires me to blend creativity with science.
Education, to me, is both an art and a discipline. Every day is an opportunity to change the world by changing a child’s life and we can have fun while doing it.
I began my career in the classroom, serving as a teacher, head teacher, and school manager. Working with learners from both privileged and disadvantaged backgrounds gave me firsthand insight into the realities of access, support, and systemic gaps in education.
I saw that many academic challenges were not rooted in ability, but in lack of support, lack of access, or lack of understanding.
Those experiences pushed me to expand my impact beyond the four walls of the classroom into leadership, advocacy, child mental health, and parental support.
"Many academic challenges are not about ability, but about access and support.”
I hold a Master’s degree in Leadership in Education and have completed professional development with institutions including the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, the North American Montessori Center, and Liverpool John Moores University.
These programmes equipped me with evidence-based frameworks in leadership, educational psychology, child development, and community engagement, allowing me to translate research into practical, scalable solutions.
My career journey includes leadership roles such as Director of Public Relations at JCI Sandton, Director of Programs and Policy at the Young Reach Initiative (YRI), and Founder and CEO of EduEmporium | Education With Norleen.
At YRI, I curated and led the Reading Clinic and Illiteracy Intervention Programmes in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Sports and Culture, the German Embassy in South Africa, the British Council, and Biblionef. These initiatives helped over 500 learners progress from non-readers to proficient comprehension readers, directly addressing literacy gaps in under-resourced communities.
Through EduEmporium, I have led and scaled multiple initiatives, including Read and Bloom Literacy & Emotional Wellness Programme supporting 220 learners aged 4–6, Mind Matters Mental Health Support and Coaching supporting 300 learners aged 10–18 and Ending Period Poverty providing three months’ supply of sanitary towels to 100 girls, and more.
My leadership philosophy is: empowerment begins with understanding and knowledge. Meaningful impact requires intentional, informed engagement. Purpose, consistency, collaboration, and a genuine desire to create lasting change guide every initiative I undertake.
A defining pivot in my journey was recognising that many learners in the primary sector struggled academically simply because they could not read. That insight led to the founding of EduEmporium and my transition from classroom-based work to open, digital learning spaces.
Through platforms like TikTok and Instagram, I now share lessons, activations, competitions, and practical insights, making educational support accessible beyond geography and resources.
My work has been amplified through collaborations with organisations such as Lemon Sorbet Marketing, Molefe Dlepu Inc Attorneys, Primal Wellness, Meaningful Events, and Young Reach Initiative. Child mental health programmes have reached more than ten schools directly, with social media engagement exceeding 100,000 views across platforms.
Media engagements with outlets including INX TV, Radio Islam, The Citizen Newspaper, The Good Things Guy SA, Gauteng Lifestyle Magazine, Sandton Lifestyle Magazine, and multiple podcasts and magazines have further expanded national conversations around child mental health, neurodiversity, and the importance of the formative years.
My career legacy lies in leading with heart and placing the child at the centre of every decision. I aim to bridge education, child development, and wellbeing through evidence-based programmes, advocacy, and innovation. Founding EduEmporium allowed me to scale impact and embed long-term, sustainable change.
One of the greatest challenges I’ve faced has been ensuring equitable access to educational and mental health resources across diverse socio-economic contexts. Through digital content, community programmes, workshops, and strategic partnerships, I learned that resilience, innovation, and collaboration are essential to achieving meaningful, scalable impact.
If I were to summarise my career in one sentence, it would be this: Transforming education and child development through evidence-based practice, digital innovation, advocacy, and leadership rooted in heart.
My vision for the future is an ecosystem where every child thrives holistically, caregivers are equipped with knowledge, and communities work together to address educational gaps, mental health challenges, and inequality.
I aim to continue empowering the next generation and leaving a measurable, lasting impact on education and child wellbeing.
