A once-neglected building in Clay Oven informal settlement has been revamped as a space where children can learn, play, and grow safely.

This transformation is the result of the dedication and vision of Zola Kupa, who saw an urgent need to protect and nurture the children in the informal settlement. “When I first arrived here, the building was being used as a dumping site by some community members and recycling collectors. It was damaged, unused, and unsafe.”

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Seeing the danger this posed to children, he reached out to a few people in the community, and together they cleaned and secured the space. This effort eventually led to the official opening of New Beginnings Daycare and Preschool in May 2023.

“I saw children playing in dangerous areas and being exposed to things they shouldn’t see,” said Kupa. “Substance abuse and unsafe spaces were rampant, so we decided to create a safe place for them, until they could go to school.”

Parents in the area quickly saw the value of the initiative. Each month, they contribute money, which goes directly toward food and care for the children.

The daycare accommodates working parents by opening at 06:30 and closing at 17:00, ensuring that children have a secure environment throughout the day.

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Before New Beginnings opened, many children in the area wandered the streets. Most parents are do-mestic workers or earn minimum wages, making formal childcare unaffordable in Fourways, an expen-sive area. “This contributed tremendously to children being unsupervised. By providing an accessible, safe space, we are helping both the children and the parents.”

A father himself, Kupa strives to be the parent he never had. “I didn’t grow up with my father around. My grandmother raised me. I wanted to ensure that every child I encounter feels cared for and guided, just as I try to do for my own son.”

At New Beginnings, children aged 18 months to five years engage in literacy and numeracy programmes, learning how to read, write, count, and interact socially. Manners and group co-operation are empha-sised, creating a foundation for both education and personal development.

“What I love most, is seeing the children’s bright eyes when they walk through the door, eager and smil-ing. There’s no money that can buy that feeling.”

Kupa said his background in teaching, combined with nearly a decade of experience working with chil-dren, underpins his approach to childcare, operating New Beginnings out of passion, rather than profit.

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