February, we visited the “Sweet Litte Things” kindergarten in Esikhawini/Edube Village, about 15 kilometres from Richards Bay, with several members of the association.
The kindergarten, which is privately run by Patricia Mkwanyane, is located in a small wooden hut in the centre of a poor residential area in Edube Village.
Patricia has been working as a teacher and kindergarten teacher her entire professional life. As there was no kindergarten in Edube Village, she decided to open a kindergarten on her own property. This enabled the parents and many single mothers to go to work. Patricia’s kindergarten ensures that the children are supported, taught and educated in a child-orientated way.
There are now 21 children who are looked after from 8 am to 5 pm. Patricia has reached her limits in terms of space, staff and finances, as she only receives 100 rand (approx. 7 euros) per child per month and has to use this to finance her salary, the children’s daily meals and learning materials.
As a result, there are only a few climbing frames and swings in the outdoor area, some of which have been provisionally put together. There is hardly any space left in the 15 m2 hut to teach the children properly or offer them opportunities to play. In addition, the children spend their naps lying close together on the floor without mattresses.
During our visit, we were very impressed by Patricia’s commitment and were truly moved to tears. The decision to help Patricia and her “Sweet Little Things” was quickly made. In addition to mattresses, learning materials and an outdoor play area, we want to build a small, functional new building elsewhere on the property that meets the needs of a kindergarten.
We need your help to realise all of this. Please support our new project!
