Umzamo Day Care Centre
Preschool and Creche

CURRENT DURBAN PROJECT

Feed the Babies introduced Chic Mamas to Umzamo Day Care Centre in 2015. They considered it deserving of assistance and offered us the opportunity to make a difference.

We were taken to a dilapidated wood and iron shack that flooded with every rain, had little ventilation, and had been rebuilt once due to a fire that blazed through the informal settlement. There we met the amazing Nomusa Dlungwana who single-handedly cared for up to 20 children, 6 days per week, aged from 3mths to 6yrs. Whilst the children were being safely baby sat, there was no awareness of the need for developmental stimulation, and under those trying circumstances it simply wasn’t possible.

Fast forward to 2020, and Umzamo is now a fully functional preschool and crèche. It is positioned on a spacious site on the edge of the informal settlement. Safely fenced, it consists of three classroom structures, 2 play areas, a water-harvesting system and ablutions. Nomusa has employed 2 full time assistants from the community to help her care for the 54 joyful little learners.
Nomusa has completed three years of accredited ECD training to achieve her National ECD Diploma and assistant teacher, Thalente Dlungwana, is currently in her second year of the same course.
We watch in amazement as this school continues to thrive and give hope to their community.

Siphethamandla Pre-School

CURRENT DURBAN PROJECT

Sphethamandla is situated in Clermont, Durban North where many of the children come from very impoverished families. There are currently 39 children enrolled, 8 of whom are babies under the age of 2 years.

Chic Mamas have been able to obtain a variety of resources for the teachers, 2 of whom are currently studying through Caversham Institute and funded by Chic Mamas. Many toys and educational puzzles and games have been donated by neighbouring schools.

One of the most pressing needs for these children is good nutrition, and we encourage all our schools to grow their own vegetables. We have been able to provide JAM porridge to the schools which provides all the necessary vitamins and minerals needed for young children.

Thanks to M&G Investment, we have upgraded this thriving pre-school recently, with new ablution block and other wonderful additions for the children to play& learn.

Zamokuhle Preschool and Creche

CURRENT DURBAN PROJECT

After appealing to Durban Chic Mamas for help, Zethu Mbali waited patiently for two years until, in January 2019, we were able to meet with her. There was an immediate connection with Zethu and we knew this was a situation where we wanted to get involved.  Zethu’s humility, and dedication to helping the children of her community since 2003, won us over. The school used the small corrugated iron “community hall” on weekdays and had to pack everything away over weekends for functions.  With no safe play area, and only communal ablutions some distance away, this was far from ideal.

From day one, this project rolled out with  favour at every turn.

By mid July 2019, within a month of the land being levelled, the new Zamokuhle preschool was installed and operational. Grants from MySchool Card, LUSH SA and CMH, together with Chic Mamas funding, has produced a vibrant preschool consisting of one 12m and one 6m converted container classroom, waterless ablutions, a playground with amazing equipment and astroturf, a water harvesting system,  and all safely fenced.

Within a month, pupil enrolment increased from 18 to 34 and continues to grow. Due to the numbers, the baby crèche has remained in the community hall and all other preschoolers are in the new preschool.

Zethu has employed three assistants. One has completed her Educare Training, one has begun training through the council and Zethu began her first year at Caversham Education Institute in Feb 2020. We watch in awe as this journey unfolds.

Teacher Training
Caversham Education Institute

CURRENT DURBAN PROJECT

There are several ex preschool teachers on the Durban team and a core group regularly visit the schools to give encouragement, direction and to pick up on any areas of need.

Unless teachers are adequately equipped, they are unable provide their preschoolers with the vital stimulation and early development children need for school readiness. We believe that our best means of impacting the greatest number of preschoolers, is through properly trained teachers.

For this reason, we prioritise sponsorship of training for the teachers at the schools we install.

This training is in the form of the three year accredited National Diploma in ECD through Caversham Education Institute, and through ongoing training courses offered by CCRC (Communities, Children and Responsible Care)

One of our objectives is for our school supervisors to become empowered to function independently of Chic Mamas. Post installation, we walk alongside the schools for a limited period, assisting where necessary and guiding them in areas where skills or knowledge is lacking. This covers NPO regulations and returns, PBO registration, SARS requirements, compulsory DSD registrations, grant applications, budgeting and fundraising.  Fortunately we have been able to access pro bono assistance in many areas. Once the above requirements have been worked through, our team gradually withdraws and the the supervisors are expected to follow through on their own.