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It's already the second term of the year.
Winter is just around the corner, and the kids and teachers in the two rural crèches should have settled down.
But it's all about swings and round-a-bouts. KwaDla-Kuse has always been a 'special child'. It was the first crèche we developed (in 2002) and was sprung out of the need to befriend our neighbours when we were at Milimani Game Sanctuary. It has also been constantly plagued with village politics.
The crèche at Sovane came a bit later and was constructed when we discovered our staff had to send their children to a dilapidated building, serving as a crèche.
Sezane crèche, in Sovane, is managed by Anna Buthelezi, and she has grown this dusty little day care centre into a worthy educational establishment (in rural terms!) They are a registered with the Department of Health, and she is very pro-active in extracting funds. Presently they have 33 children.
But, oh dear me! KwaDla-Kuse continues to spiral downwards. It is in an ox-bow at the end of the earth. It has stunning views of the old Milimani Game Sanctuary, and my heart aches every time I go there. Dear Bheki ran the school for the past couple of years and I thought he really tried hard. He seemed to understand the teaching concepts designed by TREE (based in Durban). I made sure that they had the relevant stationery and learning aids for his toddlers. But Bheki has left for better pastures, and somehow I don’t blame him. Parents are expected to pay a mere R40 per month per child, yet they don’t. So now we have Majozi.
Rob and I arrived there today, in a swirl of dust. We came face to face with poor startled Majozi and promptly started emptying out his drawers. There we found crayons, reams of paper, unopened learning aids, and the TREE manuals tucked in the back of the drawer. In a haze of unpolished Zulu I tried to give this poor fellow an instant tutorial on what is expected of him. This gathered quite a crowd. Thankfully Rob is always close by to translate the rapid bursts of English, littered with frustration!
Anyhow, it has been a long road, it will continue to be a long road. But once again, thank you Phillipa Murray from Mount Edgecombe Country Club for another generous donation of toys, and to our bread and butter donor, Beletha Foundation.
16th April 2013.
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