Charnelle Nicole Arende

Charnelle Nicole Arendse is an award-winning South African educator whose career stands as a transformative force in Hanover Park, one of Cape Town’s most volatile communities. Rising from the same socio-economic challenges her learners face – gangsterism, poverty, substance abuse and community trauma – she has become a national symbol of resilience, innovation and educational excellence. For 15 years, she has served at Belmor Primary School, where she teaches multiple subjects, leads co-curricular programmes and shapes a holistic, values-driven learning environment for 12–14-year-olds. 

A multi-award-winning teacher, her accolades include the National Teaching Award for Excellence in Primary School Teaching (Provincial Winner & National Finalist in 2015; Provincial Winner & National Runner-Up in 2022); the National Ministerial Award for Teaching (2025); Teach the Nation Leadership Award (2022); Provincial Life Orientation Award – Lead Teacher (2024); multiple community awards; and recognition from the City of Cape Town. Her innovative classroom management strategies have been featured nationally in You Magazine and on the TV series Breaking the Silence. 

Her teaching approach blends Social-Emotional Learning, 21st-century skills, Positive Discipline, and differentiated instruction to create a classroom climate known as a “porthole of possibility.” She intentionally fosters belonging through personalised desk name cards, heart-shaped photo walls, themed emotional-wellbeing days, collaborative group structures and a unique #IWishMyTeacherKnew anonymous communication box. Her daily “Motivational Mondays,” “Choose-Day Tuesdays,” “We Rise Wednesdays,” “Thankful Thursdays” and “FriYay” well-being celebrations have become a trademark method for strengthening emotional intelligence while improving academic outcomes. 

Charnelle has pioneered high-impact community-response programmes that directly address barriers to learning. These include the Sow-A-Sandwich initiative, Sole Mates shoe drive, Sanitary Savvy menstrual health project, and the Care Closet clothing initiative. Her leadership has ensured thousands of learners receive food, clothing, sanitary products and shoes – removing obstacles that prevent children from engaging fully in schooling. She has also mentored 12 published authors under the age of 12 through a partnership with Via Africa. 

Beyond her classroom, Charnelle is a curriculum leader, youth mentor, athletics coach, drama facilitator and Co-Curricular Coordinator. She collaborates actively with Teach the Nation, Edufundi, Growsmart, the Western Cape Education Department, SADTU and community organisations to mentor novice teachers, strengthen classroom culture and elevate professional standards across the province. Her workshops and presentations have influenced teachers regionally and nationally, including facilitation at the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute (CTLI) and representation at the WCED National Women’s Conference in Pretoria. 

She embeds global citizenship through thematic learning on diversity, digital pen-pal exchanges with Norway, cooperative learning, World Café dialogues, values-driven assemblies and global-issues panels that explore climate change, gender equity and sustainable development. Her climate education initiatives include recycling programmes, a school garden, environmental monitoring, cross-curricular integration and partnerships with local organisations. 

If awarded the Global Teacher Prize, she intends to establish a state-of-the-art Smart Technology Laboratory at Belmor Primary to close the digital divide for 744 learners, ensuring long-term access to devices, software, STEM tools and sustainable technological support. She also plans to expand her community feeding and clothing projects.