|
Two crèches were supported during the year and significant developments took place in both environments.
Siyakhuliswa:
This crèche was previously located in Mshenguville squatter camp in Soweto. As part of the government programme to phase out squatter housing the majority of the residents have been relocated to Lehae to the south of Johannesburg into “RDP” formal houses with water, electricity and water-borne sewage, a vast improvement in conditions. The Siyakhuliswa crèche was relocated to Lilian Nxumalo, the managers’ house on a temporary basis in April 2007. Lilian was also assisted to apply for a long lease on the formal crèche site in April but to date no progress has been made so the crèche has operated on the residential site since May 2007. There are apparently four other crèches in the area and Siaykhuliswa is in great demand and presently the enrollment is 36 which somewhat exceeds a normal limit (+-32). Given the temporary nature of the arrangements, no application to the authorities has been made for registration.
Lilian is supported by an assistant teacher and a cleaning/cooking assistant.
Fees are R70 pm per child. 13 children will graduate to grade one next year, there is a new primary school in the area which is expected to open in 2008.
Ekukhanyeni:
This crèche is located within the Diepkloof hostel in Soweto. Originally the crèche was run in one of the old hostel units but the Zoe Carss Educational Trust from the UK sponsored a Bright Kids Edutainer in April 2007 vastly improving the facilities. Prefab kitchen and toilet blocks were installed and the Jane Goodall Institute South Africa donated a new classroom (wooden Wendy type) for the under 2 kids. The area is fenced and secured. A certificate of acceptability was obtained from the Joburg Department of Health in August 2007.
Some 32 children have enrolled and the monthly fee isR30 pm per child. With the new facilities the capacity could increase to about 40.
The head teacher is Sylvia Mafa and she is assisted by 3 staff. 6 children will graduate to grade one at the end of 2007 and will attend local schools in the area.
It should be noted that the hostel complex is undergoing redevelopment and in due course all the old hostel buildings will be replaced by modern family and single accommodation.
We have approached the authorities for a more permanent site for the crèche within the redevelopment.
Cost of Running Creches:
The crèches are targeted at the poorest of the poor and the fees are set at an affordable level between R30 and R70. The minimum normal fees in similar privately run crèches is +-R150pm.
Staff salaries Siyakhuliswa R 3 100.00 per month
Ekukhanyeni R 2 950.00 per month
Daily food to supply kids with 3 meals a day is normally covered by the fees but Ekukhanyeni usually supplemented by +-R400pm. Tinned food provided by Bridge school on a weekly basis is much appreciated and well used.
Total subsidy +/- R 6 500.00 per month
We have been supporting a little girl formerly from Mshenguville squatter camp but now living in Lehae who has been severely disabled since birth with cerebral palsey. She is now 9 years old and lives with her gogo and mother in the new area. She is unable to walk unaided and cannot talk but she is bright and understands a lot. Her mother has a restricted mental and responsibility capacity to look after Celiwe and she also has HIV/Aids (we assisted her to get on the govt ARV programme and with monthly expenses to go to hospital). Gogo has no income and has never attended school so is little help.
Celiwe was originally put into Sunshine centre but has been attending the Philip Kushlick school in the Bara complex. She is in grade one!
Cost of school fees R50pm, transport R350 to and from school with private transport. Incidentals R100pm.
Total cost +/- R 500.00 per month
Phillip Kushlick school support:
This school is under the Gauteng dept of education and accommodates children with mental disabilities but who are educable. It is primarily funded by the Government which supplies the basics. Although there are posts for speech, physio and occupational therapists most posts are presently vacant. There is a ratio of +-22/25 kids per teacher which is extremely high given the disabilities of the kids.
After consultation with the teachers and head teacher it was agreed to assist the school by deploying two young girls who live in Lehae to the school to assist teachers by acting as class aids/assistants. We arranged for training through the SA Association of Mental Health in Randburg where they attended 4 weeks training over 4 months.
Their transport is paid as well as a stipend. It is hoped that in time they will be accommodated on the school payroll but presently there are only 2 official posts and these are filled.
Cost: Transport R400pm each and stipend R500pm ea (agreed to increase in 2008 to R1000ea). Total monthly cost R2800. Presently borne by Denis and Pam Creighton.
Benefit: Increases teacher effectiveness in two classes of 22, provides training and some income to the two girls as well as a sense of purpose.
We are also supporting a neighbours child of 12 who attends Adelaide Tambo school for the mentally disabled in Soweto (he has brain damage resulting from a car accident)
Cost R 250.00 per month
We presently support two ladies who are on the ARV programme, one still living in Mshenguville and Celiwes mother. One lady on the programme died as she gave up on the drugs.
Cost R100pm ea = R200pm (this covers transport and cost of drugs)
A young man from Lehae is presently in Santa TB hospital undergoing TB treatment and he is being assisted on an adhoc basis but will need support to when discharged.
We would like to set up a home based care unit in Lehae in cooperation with CARE an Ngo or some other organization to assist the many Aids sufferers and potential victims in the area (an approach has been made to Care.). One or two members of the youth group have been identified provisionally for training.
Since about April 2007 KDR has been conducting tours into Kliptown squatter camp, both corporate and private parties. The area comprises some of the worst conditions to be found in Soweto and indeed the country. There is a dynamic youth group located in the heart of the squatter camp which is a beacon of hope in the area. Led by a group of dynamic and motivated youngsters and adults, the centre has a number of activities going on all the time. These include:HIV/AIDS support group- doing beadwork and other activities to support themselves and their families (we were able to give them a portion of a lucrative bead contract shared with the Ekukhanyeni crèche ladies in November sourced from a corporate client).
A large crèche, soccer team, netball team (we have sponsored the sports with kit and netball posts) dance, drama and music for all ages, various skills and job creation activities and many more.
We have partnered with the Jane Goodall Institute South Africa and formed a Roots&Shoots club in the area. This initiative started food gardens and a Peace Tyre project (turning tyres, often a symbol of conflict and violence, into mini food-gardens).
We started a youth project in Lehae early in 2007 but progress has been slow partly because of the lack of infrastructure and facilities and the fact that this is a new area involving relocation from other areas. A Roots&Shoots club has been formed here and again food gardens have been started and netball posts erected. One of the leaders has been recommended to attend a youth summit in USA.
A lot more work is needed to make an impact on the area which now has formal housing but lacks a lot of other facilities.
This is a focus of attention when ever it is possible be tends to be adhoc. One area where thanks to support from some international donors, where we have had a sustainable effort over some time is in Freedom Park near Soweto where we are working with a group of ladies. Freedom Park started as an illegal squatter camp but has been part of a government upgrade project “in-situ”. A gross lack of facilities still pertains there but housing and basic services are being provided. Two groups have been operating there comprising a sewing group and a chicken farm initiative. These activities are providing income for the members but unfortunately the numbers are low- two in the chicken project and four in the sewing group. Support has been in the form of startup capital for equipment purchase and working capital for operating costs like material and feed as well as chicken purchase. More support is necessary to ensure the long term viability and sustainability of the projects.
The ladies in the Diepkloof Hostel have been involved in beading projects as have the Aids support group in Kliptown and ladies from Regina Mundi Church have been supported with mosaic work on an ad-hoc basis. As these initiatives help with self sustainability they should be supported where possible. Needs tend to be capital, skills and marketing related.
Other enterprises supported in the past and on an ongoing basis include a restaurant and a curio shop in Soweto and development of tour guides and others in tourism. |
Creches:
Support for Cebral Palsied Children and Philip Kushlick School:
Kliptown Youth Project: (Kliptown squatter camp)
Job Creation Initiatives: