Education South Africa Project #9502

Start a Preschool for 60 Children in South Africa

by Even Ground

Project Report | Oct 12, 2018
Themabanthi's 15th Anniversary

By Helen Towle | Thembanathi Project Director

This month is the 15^th anniversary of Thembanathi. Many of you know our story. It started when our founder, Lindsey Reynolds, visited South Africa for the first time in 2003. While there she and a fellow student from Wesleyan University visited Holy Cross, an NGO that was providing hospice and other services to families in the area. Holy Cross also had a small childcare center to provide more intensive early education and intervention services for children in the area. The center was operating then in an old single-car garage. Upon returning to the U.S., Lindsey and Angela started Thembanathi to support the center. In 2004, Holy Cross was able to expand their programming and open a large early childhood development center that can accommodate up to 120 children. We were fortunate to be there to help them set up the new center. For the last 15 years, we have supported the early childhood programs at Holy Cross, first at the main center and, starting in 2006, at three additional small centers in more remote areas.

In 2011, Lindsey was doing research for her dissertation a couple of hours north of Holy Cross. She was approached by community leaders who asked for her assistance in starting an early childhood development and care center in their area. They understood the importance of education for their children’s future and knew that early educational support is crucial for children and families, but they lacked the resources and networks to get such an initiative going. In 2012, with support from many of you, we provided the funds to open a temporary center. Over the next two years, we raised the fund to construct a new building and, in January 2014, we opened Siyabonga Early Childhood Development Centre. The center is currently at capacity and provides 80 children each year with a positive, caring, and safe space to learn and develop, and with two nutritious meals a day. Early intervention is key to helping young people succeed in school and enabling them to transcend the cycle of chronic poverty that has shaped their communities.

Thanks to all of you for your support over the years and for helping so many children from challenging backgrounds reach the bright futures they deserve.

Update from Siyabonga

Last month, we were able to take the children on a field trip to a cheese farm. The children were really excited to see the animals there, many of which they had read about but never actually seen before - horses, ostriches, goats, cows, pigs, and peacocks. They also got to see how to milk a cow and how cheese is made. They were given the opportunity to feed the animals and play on the jungle gym. They really enjoyed everything and talked about it long afterwards both at home and at school.

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Jul 16, 2018
Global Giving and Siyabonga Celebrate Mandela Day

By Khethiwe Khuzwayo | Director, Siyabonga Early Childhood Ed Centre

Children Performing for Parents

Celebrate Mandela Day with Us!

On July 18, the birthdate of Nelson Mandela, people in South Africa and around the world honor his legacy and his values through volunteering and community service. Mandela Day celebrates his believe that each individual has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better. Nelson Mandela International Day 2018 marks 100 years since the birth of Nelson Mandela. It is an occasion to reflect on his life and legacy and to follow his call for fighting poverty and promoting social justice for all. Global Giving is celebrating Mandela Day this year by having their annual bonus day on July 18.

Mandela was known for his love of children. In South Africa, Mandela is called the father of the nation not only for his role in liberating South Africans but also for the love and support he showed to its children. “Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth, those who care for and protect our people,” Mandela said.

This Wednesday you can celebrate Mandela by making a difference in the lives of young South African children living in extreme poverty -- donate to Siyabonga Early Childhood Education Centre at Global Giving. Siyabonga will receive matching funds of up to 50% on donations received. The event begins at 9:00am EDT on July 18 and will last until matching funds run out (this often happens quickly, so please give as soon after 9:00 as you can).

Celebrating Youth Day at Siyabonga

As educators, we think it is important for our children to have an understanding of their world and know what is happening around them. South Africa celebrates Youth Day each year on June 16 to memorialize the Soweto Uprising where students peacefully demonstrating against a government mandate that they be instructed in Afrikaans were met by heavily armed police who fired tear gas and later live ammunition. In recognition of Youth Day, we created a curriculum for the first two weeks of June on Children’s Rights and Responsibilities. We discussed a number of the children’s rights recognized here in South Africa and internationally, including the right to a good education and the responsibility to study and respect teachers and the right to be loved and protected from harm and the responsibility to show love and caring to others. On June 19, we had an Awareness Day where we invited parents to come and witness their children doing activities demonstrating their understanding of their rights and responsibilities. The day was a great success and the parents were impressed with how well their children did.

Thank you again for your support. We couldn’t do what we do without you! And remember:

Donate to Siyabonga July 18 on the Global Giving website. If you give at 9:00am EDT or soon after, Global Giving will match your contribution up to 50%.

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Mar 29, 2018
Update from Siyabonga

By Khethiwe Khuzwayo | Director, Siyabonga Early Childhood Ed Centre

Children attending Siyabonga this year

I am happy to announce that Siyabonga opened on 15 January 2018 for the new school year. Our mission is to enhance the wellbeing of children through Early Childhood Development services. Our holistic development program for children includes physical, cognitive, language, social, nutritional, and emotional development. Additionally, we contribute towards the children’s holistic development at home through involving parents and educating them on early childhood development. We are committed to the protection and promotion of the interests and rights of children. We understand our responsibility towards the children entrusted to us by their parents and guardians and work as a team towards the achievement of the objectives of the Centre.

In response to the extreme poverty and unemployment in our area, all the children attending Siyabonga get at least two nutritious meals per day and a snack. Forty-eight percent of households in the area have little or no money for nutritious food. Consequently, children tend to eat only foods with a low nutritional value. This makes them more susceptible to infection and disease. Micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent in the community. One out of two children aged 1-9 years have an intake of less than half the recommended level for essential vitamins and minerals. Iron deficiency and anemia are common problems among children in rural communities like ours.

I wanted to share the story of one of our students to demonstrate the impact your support is having on the young children in our program.

Nosi* started in our program in 2017 at the age of two. When she first came here, she caused me concern as she was very tiny. I even double-checked her age to be sure she was old enough to attend. When it was time for breakfast, I frequently went into her classroom to check on her. Nosi would always eat her food quickly and then ask for more. We allowed her to eat until she was full, which often meant two full plates at each meal. As a result, Nosi grew quickly and soon was thriving.

I later learned that Nosi had a very difficult beginning. Her mother was in an abusive relationship and was consequently frightened and unsupported during her pregnancy. In her desperation, she was forced to abandon her baby. Fortunately, a boy who was herding cattle found her and the matter was reported to the South African Police Services. The South African Department of Social Development intervened and placed Nosi under the supervision of her maternal grandmother.

Nosi’s grandmother has five other grandchildren under her custody, including one who is physically challenged. The family survives on her old age pension and social grants, so their financial situation is extremely challenging. While Nosi’s grandmother is doing her best, like many of the families we service, she struggles to have enough food for the large family she is now raising.

Despite the adversity she has faced, Nosi is a well-behaved and happy child who enjoys being at school with other children. She is also a very loving child who likes to lean into me and tell me little things about her day. At three, Nosi should still be in our early learners class. However, after we evaluated her performance, we found she was ready to be move to the next level.

Nosi is just one of the many children you have helped to flourish in our Centre. This year over 70 children are attending. Thank you so much for all your support. We hope you will stay involved and continue to be part of our community.

*Nosi is a pseudonym we are using to protect the child’s and family’s confidentiality.

Nosi

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