By DAVID MACGREGOR
Grahamstown's only special needs crèche has become a beacon of hope for poor township residents.
From humble beginnings last year, the Sibanye Day Care Centre in Joza has become a safe haven for seven disabled children aged from six to 12 who had nowhere to go before it opened.
After spending more than a year dreaming of finding premises for the centre, founder members Nomalungi-sa Maloni and Veliswa Mdaka approached Rhodes University’s community engagement outreach and a safe space was soon found in a disused classroom at a Joza primary school.
Besides helping with a building, the university also provided the women with specialised training, sourced student volunteers to help and provided R8000 funding over the past nine months since it opened to equip the place.
“Rhodes University has helped us a lot,” Maloni said.
“Without them, there would be no safe space for (special needs) children to go during the day.”
Although both founder members are mothers, they do not have special needs children themselves.
Maloni identified a need for a daycare centre after a previous setup where she volunteered closed down in 2013.
“I really enjoy helping to teach them simple things like holding a spoon or cup and personal hygiene.
“We are trying to help them become more independent instead of always relying on others for help.”
The dynamic duo said even though the children got love at home, parents were often too busy working and many did not know how to handle their children’s special needs.
According to Mdaka, they charged a nominal fee of R300 a month for children in nappies and R250 for those who have been potty trained.
The money covers five days’ care a week, daily porridge and pay for a cleaner.
“Most of the parents can’t afford to pay more. We teach the children simple things others take for granted ... like being independent and how to share with others.”
Mdaka said a focus was getting children into set daily routines – which they do not have at home – during the eight hours they are at the centre each day.
Children have special needs ranging from being blind, mute or unable to move without assistance.
Samuel Ntlebi Primary School principal Dumakazi Myemane said she was impressed by the initiative when she was approached for help in 2014.
After discussing the need with the School Governing Body and the education department, it was agreed the centre was a community project that deserved help and two unused classrooms were set aside for them.
She said special needs children and the able-bodied learners at the school had both learned valuable life skills from the experience.
Rhodes University Community Engagement director Di Hornby said the daycare centre was doing good work to empower special needs children.
“Lungi and Veliswa are community champions. They do this for very little financial reward. They are very clear about their purpose to serve.” — davidm@dispatch.co.za
The disabled receive love at daycare centre
Grahamstown's only special needs crèche has become a beacon of hope for poor township residents.
From humble beginnings last year, the Sibanye Day Care Centre in Joza has become a safe haven for seven disabled children aged from six to 12 who had nowhere to go before it opened.
After spending more than a year dreaming of finding premises for the centre, founder members Nomalungi-sa Maloni and Veliswa Mdaka approached Rhodes University’s community engagement outreach and a safe space was soon found in a disused classroom at a Joza primary school.
Besides helping with a building, the university also provided the women with specialised training, sourced student volunteers to help and provided R8000 funding over the past nine months since it opened to equip the place.
“Rhodes University has helped us a lot,” Maloni said.
“Without them, there would be no safe space for (special needs) children to go during the day.”
Although both founder members are mothers, they do not have special needs children themselves.
Maloni identified a need for a daycare centre after a previous setup where she volunteered closed down in 2013.
“I really enjoy helping to teach them simple things like holding a spoon or cup and personal hygiene.
“We are trying to help them become more independent instead of always relying on others for help.”
The dynamic duo said even though the children got love at home, parents were often too busy working and many did not know how to handle their children’s special needs.
According to Mdaka, they charged a nominal fee of R300 a month for children in nappies and R250 for those who have been potty trained.
The money covers five days’ care a week, daily porridge and pay for a cleaner.
“Most of the parents can’t afford to pay more. We teach the children simple things others take for granted ... like being independent and how to share with others.”
Mdaka said a focus was getting children into set daily routines – which they do not have at home – during the eight hours they are at the centre each day.
Children have special needs ranging from being blind, mute or unable to move without assistance.
Samuel Ntlebi Primary School principal Dumakazi Myemane said she was impressed by the initiative when she was approached for help in 2014.
After discussing the need with the School Governing Body and the education department, it was agreed the centre was a community project that deserved help and two unused classrooms were set aside for them.
She said special needs children and the able-bodied learners at the school had both learned valuable life skills from the experience.
Rhodes University Community Engagement director Di Hornby said the daycare centre was doing good work to empower special needs children.
“Lungi and Veliswa are community champions. They do this for very little financial reward. They are very clear about their purpose to serve.” — davidm@dispatch.co.za
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