As part of the Kouga ECD Project, the Centre for Early Childhood Development (CECD) is upgrading ECD centres in the Kouga Local Municipality.
This is supported by the Kouga Wind Farm Community Development Trust.
On March 28, the handing over of Makhulu’s Daycare in Zwelitsha, Sea Vista, was celebrated. The ECD centre was started in 2003 by Nomfundo Gayiza, affectionately known as Makhulu.
Since 2003 Nomfundo has been providing a valuable service to her community by looking after young children. Until recently she was taking care of the many children in her home, which was an informal shack structure.
“When CECD first visited Makhulu’s Daycare in 2020, the children were crammed into her lounge and kitchen area. It was extremely hot; there was no space for the children to play and there were many health and safety concerns. The children were within arm’s reach of exposed electrical wiring and a stove. Given the serious health and safety risks that were present, a decision was taken to provide an infrastructure upgrade to Makhulu’s Daycare,” said Jessica Blom, CECD programme manager.
“There was no space to expand the current structure outwards to give the ECD centre more space. After much consideration, CECD decided to build a double storey timber frame structure, which allows for an ECD classroom downstairs and for the Nomfundo to have her living area upstairs.”
The handover event was an opportunity to commemorate the completed upgrade, and to celebrate the new space for the ECD centre and the children in this community.
“The children who attend Makhulu’s Daycare can now learn in a much safer environment that is conducive to play. The centre has also received training, educational equipment and resources that are essential for early learning,” said Blom.
The event was celebrated with representatives from CECD, the Kouga Wind Farm Community Development Trust, the local ward councillor, other non-profits, community members and parents.
“I am very proud of my new space and I am excited that it will allow me to run a better ECD centre,” said Makhulu.
“Our work with the ECD centres on the Kouga ECD Project is comprehensive and integrated. We are providing leadership and management training and support, first aid training, infrastructure upgrades, education equipment provision, and support with registration and compliance,” said Blom.
“We have partnered with Africa A+ to provide ECD training and implementation support on how to provide children with a quality early education; no matter the context that the school and community find themselves in.”
Part of this project is developing and training a team of local ECD facilitators that support the ECD centres in implementing what they have learnt. This project was launched in August 2020.
- For more info, contact Jessica Blom on jblom@cecd.org.za and 021 683 2420.
–ISSUED BY CEDC
