More than 20 vulnerable children with special needs now have the opportunity to reach their full potential in a new, bigger and better environment.
Last Thursday (20 January) the brand new Good Hope Day Care Centre (GHDCC) was officially opened in Mbekweni by Valcare, the social investment managers of the project.
This is a dream come true for Xoliswa Mjezu, who opened GHDCC seven years ago, when she realised there were no special-needs centres in Mbekweni, an area with a population of about 60 000, that could look after her autistic daughter.
Using the skills she acquired while volunteering at the Paarl Stimulation Centre and her Level 4 and Level 5 qualification in early childhood development, Xoliswa has effectively run the centre with passion and resourcefulness from her tiny home, but the challenges have been debilitating.
Because her house didn’t meet the structural requirements to apply for government grants and the parents struggled financially, she was dependent on her own fundraising.
“The children did not have enough space to develop properly – it was heartbreaking to see. I could accommodate only a few children and had a long waiting list,” says Xoliswa who is the Centre Manager. “Today I am so happy that there is a proper building and structure in place to support more children much better. We can only go forward from here.”
The centre is built on the Hope Through Action Foundation grounds, next to the Mbekweni Community Sport Centre. This creates a safe community hub where GHDCC, Nompumelelo Educare Centre and Mbekweni Sport Centre will share resources such as security, electricity and meals, a move that will save costs and create a culture of collaboration.
Work on building the new centre started in August 2021 after multiple stakeholders from the Cape Winelands came on board to partner in the project, either by donating funds, time, services or goods in kind.
More than R1,1 million in financial donations were received from eight different funders, including the Val de Vie Foundation, which raised the initial R650 000 to start the project.
Most of the service providers were so moved by Xoliswa’s story, that they worked completely pro bono, or gave significantly reduced fees without earning any profit. More than R200 000 worth of service in kind and goods in kind donations were received.
“It is encouraging to see the collective effort in action,” says Ivan Swartz, CEO of Valcare. “It was not just one person who funded this project, but multiple people who stepped up to help in their own way. Good Hope Day Care Centre has the potential to make a real impact in the lives of the children in Mbekweni and this new building is a step in the right direction.”
All of the suppliers and service providers were sourced from the region, adding to the economic benefit of the locals.
Three local tradesmen, who are a few streets away from GHDCC, were commissioned to do all of the burglar bars, paving and tiling, and a further 21 community members from Mbekweni received temporary job opportunities by offering services like painting, cleaning, trenching and forming part of the security team. Nine other businesses from Paarl and Wellington also contributed to the project.
Simon Makamba, the Community Liaison for the project, has the following to say: “We appreciate what has been done here and we are proud that we now have this space for our children. What makes it even more special is the fact that members of our community were involved in the building process, which makes this centre a true part of Mbekweni and our responsibility to protect it.”
The Department of Social Development has started a process to assess the building specifications where after they will issue a certificate that will open GHDCC up to receive government grants, ensuring the sustainability of the centre going forward.
The new GHDCC is equipped with features that make the space conducive for learning and playing for children with special needs. The building has a bathroom with six toilets, four wash basins and one wheelchair-friendly toilet; a kitchenette, office space for Xoliswa, diaper changing room, a one-on-one facilitation and rehab room, a large class room and an outdoor synthetic grass play area.
The centre will accommodate learners with different levels of special needs, including cerebral palsy children with severe intellectual challenges, highly functional learners with learning challenges and autistic learners.
Alderman Conrad Poole, Executive Mayor of Drakenstein, said he was impressed by the project and that it definitely deserved the support of everybody.
“These children are vulnerable and they need all the love and care in the world,” he pointed out. “Thank you to everybody involved in this project – this definitely is a great example of ubuntu. It is not only the government’s duty to look after our children, but it is of critical importance that the private sector and non-governmental organisations work together to make the world a better place for them.”
