By Sarah du Toit | Development Manager
November 13th 2015 marked a momentous occasion for our Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme, the first graduation ceremony for 17 day care centre principals from the communities we serve.
Early in 2015 we began partnering with ASHA Trust, a provider of Early Childhood Development support programmes for home-based crèches in disadvantaged communities. From May 2015, they started facilitating The C.A.R.E Skills Development Programme from our Sanctuary, for day care centres in the surrounding communities.The C.A.R.E Programme by designed by ASHA is a practitioner development programme which includes face-to-face tuition and follow-up hands on support in the centres. The programme:
Emily (pictured above) is one of the principals that received certification. Emily is the principal at Leseding day care centre in Siyathemba. She started her day care centre in 2009. When Emily started the ASHA Trust’s training programme she had minimal working experience in a day care centre as a practitioner. Her centre is not yet receiving a subsidy from the Department of Social Development which makes it one of the most under-resourced centres we work with.
The training Emily received from the programme helped her gain knowledge on how to provide the best possible quality care and stimulating environment to the children in her centre, in spite of the lack of adequate practitioners and financial resources. The training has also improved her administration skills which make her centre management better and increases her chances of receiving financial assistance from the Department of Social Development, and other donors in the community.
Emily received the award for the most improved day care centre. In spite of the financial challenges she faces, staff and disadvantaging community environmental factors, she has been motivated to rise above her challenges. Her confidence has been lifted and she knows she continues to have support to implement what she learnt and improve her centre further.
Emily is the epitome of potential unlocked through our partnership with ASHA Trust and their practical training programme. She has been given an opportunity to better impact the lives of the children in the community she serves.
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