Support Early Childhood Development in Rural SA

Over the last few weeks in South Africa we have had to adapt and adjust as the CoronaVirus makes itself known. Our pre-school had to comply and close early in line with President Ramaphosas speech to try to minimise the risk or travelling and groups gathering. For us at Nourish, this was bittersweet- we agree that trying to prevent Covid-19 from reaching poor and vulnerable communities and minimising risk to these is paramount; but we also know that the 38 children that are part of our Early Childhood Development program rely on us daily for their meals.  Thanks to your amazing support we are able to be a safe place to play, learn, develop and get 3 meals a day. Now already vulnerable and poor families will have to do without that at a time where many are losing their work... and at a time where travelling to buy food involves putting yourself at risk in a crowded taxi. 

We thought about it long and hard and our first commitment is to the children - to help them be RESILIENT. and this means focusing on their HEALTH and HYGIENE so we focused all our efforts on food parcels which we now bring to these children and their families each week.. allowing them to minimise their risk by not travelling, and the precious children that rely on Nourish and called Nourish home to get their food daily. We also include a soap and sanitizer each week so families can try to protect themselves from germs. 

For our little ones, and their families and grannies - your ongoing support of this project makes a big difference! We cant wait to have them all back at our creche when the Lockdown is over, ready for lots of activities, games, play and learning.. but for now, safety first. So thank you for always believeing in us, and for the ripples your donations make possible! 

Its that time of year again where the children graduate from the Nourish pre-school! It is a matter of suge huge pride for the families of these vulnerable children.. their first step into their educational journey! Earlier this month we hosted our annual graduation for 6 of the children from the Nourish pre-school, their parents were wooping and dancing with joy to hear them recite the alphabet, count, and sing their songs. Each little graduate ( gown and all ) received a little school uniform for their first year in school Its always an honour for us to take children to this point through our early childhood development projects and through the support of people such as you! 

We wish them well as they embark in Primary school  - and look forward to seeing their little faces at the aftercare program we run, where they can come after school for a warm healthy meal, english reading and homework support - so these children are not abandoned, but continue to be part of our lives and family. 

Thank you to everyone that helped make this day so special for these children! :) 

Much love for the festive season

Hi amazing donors - thanks to your support we are able to keep going at the Nourish creche month after month! Whilst we always need more monthly Sponsor a Child donors; it does mean we are in a position to share our skills, expertise and resources with other community based pre-schools around us in the rural villages that might not be as well off. 

We currently work with and support 6 preschools who just have the most special children. At some of these we have put in vegetable gardens to help support their feeding program, at some we have donated spare toys and blankets for their children. and all of them we include in a quarterly teacher traning workshop- focusing on daily routines, making toys from recycled resources and just sharing skills and stories about early childhood development. 

So this update is to fill you in on our RISE outreach ( we want children to RISE to a better quality of preschool, a better education and RISE to a better life. ) and thanks to your support as Nourish creche RISES, so other creches and children can too! 

Thank you! 

Isnt is amazing to see how we are creating ripples! 

Through your support and the love each of you give ( whether its been once off, or those that have monthly donations set up, THANK YOU!!) 

We now have a creche with 35 children aged between 6 months and 5 years old... we are at the point that we are now actually looking for funding for a second wendyhouse or building as we cant fit all the children into our container creche. Isnt it amazing to think just over 2 and a half years ago we started, with a few children and 2 mothers who came with hearts full of love to volunteer their time, and now thanks to all the support of donors and the community our teachers feel empowered and proud of their creche, and boy how it has grown! The children come daily and get 2 warm healthy meals and a snack, thanks to our chickens, as well as healthy Nutrilite supplements to makje sure the children are growing healthy! 

In addition our RISE early childhood development outreach now supports 5 community based preschools (creches) throughout the area, and we are fortunate enough to see the happy faces when we get feedback and reports. We have had warm blanket donations, as well as toys, and through partnerships have even managed to put paid salaries into place for a few teachers... ( although this is a constant funding challenge ) but todays report is just to show you how amazing it is to be in this position of expansion and growth, growing not only young minds, but also to more projects, and this is all thanks to YOU! 

Thank you, and look at all the happy faces you made possible! 

There is always so much Happiness and Excitement working not only with the Nourish creche - but also through the RISE Creche outreach  ( supporting 6 pre-schools/creches in our surrounding communities. ) It has been a special few months as we have experienced an outpouring of love support and donations for these creches.... many of whom are run by community volunteers who take no salary and care for anything from 15 - 80 children daily, keeping them clean, fed, safe and stimulated. 

One of our special Creches run by a caring but strict lady called Limmy is Bhoikhotso - set half an hour on a bumpy dusty dirtroad deep in one of the rural community villages. Limmy has 59 children that call Bhoikhotso their safe space, and even though they dont have much the children happily sit under the big tree in the yard and sing songs and recite the alphabet...

Thanks to generous donors from Holland ( who i wont name here) we have gotten the funds to build Bhoikhotso a playground complete with Jungle gym and swing set. The photos speak for themselves, the children LOVE it. Happiness truly is the freedom to play. We remember our basic human rights, the right to food, water, freedom.... the right for a child to be a child. 

thank you to every sponsor small and big, for helping us find a childs life, their freedom, their childhood.