Start a Preschool for 60 Children in South Africa

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.