1. Siyajabula Pre-School (Project Delight)

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DATE OF EDUCARE PARTNERSHIP: 2012

DATE OF TRANSFORMATION: 2017, 2018; 2020 (addition of Grade R Classroom)

PARTNERS IN THE PROJECT: AVON Justine

REASON FOR SELECTION:  The little school in Embo Valley operated from a garage on the Principals property and housed roughly 30 – 40 children between the ages of 6 months to 5 years. It had very poor lighting and ventilation, staff had little supply of adequate teaching resources and no gross motor development was taking place because the children had no outdoor play equipment.

HOW THE SCHOOL BENEFITS NOW:

• Park home for babies up to 2 years
• Large learning space, conducive for quality ECD, is partitioned into 3 classrooms to accommodate the ages 2-3; 3-4; 4-5.
• Educational Resources and Equipment from GROW
• Grade R classroom (installed in 2020)
• Kitchen
• Office
• Toilets and wash basins
• Covered veranda
• Outdoor play area with a jungle gym
• Vegetable garden
• Certificate of Registration with DSD (Dpt of Social Development)

2. Siyabaphephisa Pre-School (Project Bright)

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DATE OF EDUCARE PARTNERSHIP: 2014

DATE OF TRANSFORMATION: 2017-2018

PARTNERS IN THE PROJECT:  Belgotex floors; Container World; Cretemix; DAVGO Steel Construction; Dezzo Roofing; EW Consulting; FABRI TRIM; GROW with EduCare Centres; Gifford Duminy (Mural Artist); JL Clarkson Land Surveyor; JOJO Tanks; Nation Changers; Northside Electrical and Trades@Work.

REASON FOR SELECTION:  Principal Bright Zondi’s original Pre-School had been operating in temporary facilities in Molweni (near Waterfall, KZN) which were far from ideal. Their facilities were not equipped to provide children with a conducive learning environment – besides the structure being unstable, it was poorly lit and ventilated with no outdoor play apparatus for the children to develop their gross-motor skills. The catalyst for this structural upgrade was a meeting with Focus on iThemba and Container World in 2016. Container World offered recycled shipping containers as a solution to building them a new learning space and the momentum grew from there.

HOW THE SCHOOL BENEFITS NOW:

• 3 classrooms to accommodate babies, 2-3; 3-4; 4-5
• Educational Resources and Equipment from GROW
• Proper nutrition through JAM SA (Joint Aid Management)
• Kitchen
• Office
• Storage unit
• Sick bay
• Toilets and wash basins
• Covered veranda
• Large playground area, jungle gym and bike track
• A JOJO Tank
• Vegetable garden
• Certificate of Registration with DSD in progress (Dpt of Social Development)

3. Entokozweni Pre-School (Project Joy)

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DATE OF EDUCARE PARTNERSHIP: 2016

DATE OF TRANSFORMATION: 2018-2019

PARTNERS IN THE PROJECT:  Belgotex floors; Bidvest SACD; Bo’s Plant & Tool Hire; Container World; Cotswold Leisure Centre & Estate; Cotswold Management Association; Cretemix; Dezzo Roofing; Fry’s Metal; Gifford Duminy, GMA Foundation; GROW with EduCare Centres; Jocelyn van der Walt; JL Clarkson Land Surveyor; Jojo Tanks; Kerry Ingredients; Key Group; Kloof Round Table; Megan Harker; Mike and Pippa Hankinson; Nicole Singh; Northside Electrical; Lead Architects; Luke Bailes; Sarah and William Hennessy; Sear’s Electrical; Spar Group; Selwyn Green; Shula-Group; The Collies Group; The Spur Group; The Zoe Carss Trust; Wallenius Wilhelmsen Solutions; Willie Construction and 6 Bar Developments.

REASON FOR SELECTION:  The school’s facilities weren’t conducive to age-appropriate learning as all age groups (0 – 5years) were placed in one building on the Principals property. Structurally, the building which was used as a church on the weekends, had poor lighting and ventilation, no ablutions, play equipment or space for gross-motor development.

HOW THE SCHOOL BENEFITS NOW:

4. Inkanyezi Pre-School (Project Star)

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DATE OF EDUCARE PARTNERSHIP: 2020

DATE OF TRANSFORMATION: 2020-2021

PARTNERS IN THE PROJECT: The Bagnoli Family, The Belgotex Foundation Trust NPC, Bonga Hardware, Container World Self Storage, Container World, Cotswold Downs Estate, Cretemix, EW Consulting, Fry’s Metals, The GMA Foundation, GROW with Educare Centres, JOJO Tanks, JL Clarkson Land Surveyor, Kerry Ingredients South Africa, Key Group, Lead Architects, Nu-Quip, Pesco, Shula-Group, South African Container Depot, Topia Water, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Solutions, Warthog Plant Hire, Willie Construction, ZBR Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd.

REASON FOR SELECTION: The school’s learning facilities posed a serious health and safety concern – their ablutions consisted of only one toilet and tap for staff and children to share, and among other concerns, out of the two wendy houses that were on the property, only one was being used as a classroom because the other was in a very dilapidated condition. This arrangement was unsuitable for quality age-appropriate teaching and learning to take place. In addition, the outdoor play apparatus could not be used because of its inferior condition thus hindering the children’s gross motor development.

HOW THE SCHOOL BENEFITS NOW:

• 3 classrooms to accommodate babies, 2-3; 3-4; 4-5 years
• Educational Resources and Equipment from GROW
• Proper nutrition through JAM SA (Joint Aid Management)
• Kitchen
• Office
• Storage unit
• JOJO Tank
• Sick bay
• Toilets and wash basins
• Covered veranda
• Large playground area and jungle gym
• Registration with DSD in progress (Dpt of Social Development)

PHASE 2 DEVELOPMENTS

• A vegetable garden and 2nd JOJO Tank

5. Bongani Pre-School (Knysna, Western Cape)

In 2019 our Founders, Danie and Judy van den Heever, took the decision to relocate to the Western Cape and settle in the picturesque seaside town of Knysna. Carrying the spirit of Focus on iThemba in their hearts, Danie and Judy soon identified opportunities to provide hope and meaningful change to the local community, once again through the vehicle of quality education. As believers of Early Childhood Development (ECD) and its fundamental role in shaping and strengthening the minds of children, their focus was steered towards an ECD Centre in the Bongani Community called Bongani Pre-School.

Taking on the role as oversight, Focus on iThemba helps steer the systems and operations of Bongani Pre-School by offering direction, guidance and leadership. This new model of operation allows us the opportunity to appoint a director, principal and school administrator as key role-players in the running of a sustainable community Pre-School. Further to this, the property on which the school is based is in the name of Focus on iThemba, allowing us to fully support the operations of the school.

With the aim to bolster the quality of education in this School, the transformation plan has involved the renovation and reinforcement of their current facilities as well as the addition of new facilities.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BONGANI

Get in touch with us to see how you can become a project partner.