Mighty Kids Centre in Malvern held a notable graduation ceremony for the 19 pre-primary school learners in December.
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Proud principal Orlean Mahlangu said she was pleased to be part of the first in a series of graduations that the children will go through as they make their way from pre-school to primary school and eventually high school and university.
“This is their first graduation before the next one which will be at primary school and again when they get to matric and then university,” said Mahlangu.
“We wanted the graduation to give these children the zeal for succeeding at school.”
Mahlangu encouraged parents to give their children as much support as possible, even if they are struggling financially.
Founder of the NPO Chubby Chums for the Children Homes, Martin Barnard, who has been involved with Mighty Kids for over a decade, said it is important for children to get off the streets and be enrolled in programmes at the crèche.
He said the programmes include art, drawing and therapy.
“These programmes are structured in such a way that they help these children during their childhood and development. We’d also like for the children who graduate from the crèche to, at a later stage, be involved in the organisations and become youth care workers,” explained Barnard.
That would mean that they ’ll have a part and a role in society and that’s basically what we’re looking at. A lot of the children already know what they want to be and so we guide them and take them to the Department of Education and we enrol them that way.”
Nobukhosi Ncube, parent of a graduating learner at the crèche Praise Khumalo, could not hide her excitement.
“I’m very happy!”
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