A shining light in Kabokweni
The Sivesethu Preschool project has been a shining example of what can happen when private and public enterprises come together and decide to make a difference.
KABOKWENI – The Sivesethu Preschool project has been a shining example of what can happen when private and public enterprises come together and decide to make a difference. Sivesethu is a rural pre-school that survives on stipends from government and most of the staff works for free. Mothers bring their babies and toddlers, up to four years of age, to be cared for here when they go off to work or high school. Before Penreach became involved at the school in 2011, it had 20 registered learners, and since recent upgrades the number has risen significantly to 60.
Penreach intervention
The first step of the Sivesethu project was to determine the needs of the school. The needs included infrastructure, teaching materials, and the education of practitioners. It was decided that the first round of funds raised by local donors, Advance Channel Technologies (ACT), would be used to enroll a Sivesethu practitioner, Mrs. Peggy Vilakazi, in the Penreach ECD Practitioner NQF Program. Mrs. Vilakazi is currently completing her NQF level qualification.
The next step was to improve the toilets at the preschool. The children and practitioners were making use of a whole in the ground that was not only unsafe and unhygienic but also a step backwards in the development of the learners and a step away from what our constitution promises the youth.
During this stage A4U tourism became involved as another donor. With the funds raised by Mr Jacques Robinson of ACT and Brit Sedal of A4U Tourism, Penreach constructed new ablution facilities at the preschool, with three child size toilets for learners and a separate toilet for practitioners. A formal open day was held to inaugurate the new toilets, and donors and parents assisted in painting the facilities.
The increased number of learners put the infrastructure under immense pressure with one classroom struggling to accommodate 25 children. It was decided to construct two new classrooms to accommodate the growing number of learners. A large number of funds were required for this stage to be a success and ACT and A4U Tourism took it upon themselves to raise the necessary funds with donations from the Veslefrikk Oil Platform in the Norwegian Sea. As with the construction of the ablution blocks, all materials were sourced locally and the same local builder was used.
A Johannesburg based company, Tarsus Technologies, raised the funds needed to equip the classrooms during Nelson Mandela month. The classrooms are now functional with adequate tables and chairs for learners and practitioners.
The next phase of the Sivesethu project will be to have another practitioner complete NQF 4 training.
On October 18 the classrooms were officially opened with important guest speakers in attendance, such as the Tribal Chief and Dr. Pat Moodly of the Department of Education.
This is one little preschool that has become a light in the community. The community takes pride and ownership of Sivesethu and will become a place where learners receive quality foundation education needed to succeed in life.
The experience of participants in the project
Ms Peggy Vilakazi, head of school: “I want to thank everyone involved and will be forever grateful to Pnereach and ACT for what they have done for the school.”
Mr Jacques Robinson (ACT): “It is wonderful to see what a huge difference one can make to the lives of others by taking a bit of time out of your schedule. ACT is motivated to become involved in other projects within our larger community.”
Dr Pat Moodley (Department of Education): ” It is wonderful to see that local companies take such initiatives to better the opportunities of the learners. The young learners at Sivesethu preschool will look back and one day remember the wonderful job done that was done to help improve their chances at a better life. We only wish we can see more of these initiatives coming forwarded.
Xander Coetzee (Project Manager Penreach): ” It is one of the most satisfying feelings that one can ever experience – to make a difference to a child's life To see how a school that used to be just another smaal school in a rural area has become a bearer of light for the whole community. A wise man said, give a man a fidsh and he eats for a day, but teach him how to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life.”
