Let's Start at the Very Beginning
Upper Lubanzi Pre-school under construction
Jabulani's education programmes are heading into a promising new year fuelled by great success in 2012.
In order to have any impact on the dire educational context in and around Zithulele, we have recognised the need to start at the very beginning. This is why the majority of our education programmes have a focus on early childhood development (ECD).
Our ECD in the Home programme, while still in its early stages, is going from strength to strength with our ECD Advocate receiving a warm welcome from the homes she has visited so far. As a result of this warm reception, we have reached the point where we are able to start ECD workshops with groups of parents. Our ECD programme will tie in really well with the ECD play groups that are due to be implemented by Mentor Mothers Zithulele in early 2013.
Our intention with the Zithulele Preschool has always been for it to be a model for others to follow. We were very encouraged to see this start happening when the pre- school teacher from a neighbouring area requested assistance and started weekly shadowing and mentoring with Thandeka, our teacher, in the Zithulele pre-school. Through this, we learnt that her pre-school had lost their building and as a result, were sharing a classroom with the grade R students at the local government school. A classroom with 100 learners of different levels is not conducive to effective learning! After growing the relationship with this teacher and after meeting with community members, Jabulani has already started constructing a new building and has committed to supporting the management of this pre-school from the beginning of 2013.
None of our education programmes would be possible without the support of Stichting Zithulele, a Dutch foundation with links back to one of the first doctors to work in Zithulele. Their commitment to provide long term funding allows us to develop initiatives that have solid foundations and are therefore more likely to be sustainable. We are so appreciative of their support and therefore it was great that they were able to visit us in November and see our education programmes first hand.
In order to have any impact on the dire educational context in and around Zithulele, we have recognised the need to start at the very beginning. This is why the majority of our education programmes have a focus on early childhood development (ECD).
Our ECD in the Home programme, while still in its early stages, is going from strength to strength with our ECD Advocate receiving a warm welcome from the homes she has visited so far. As a result of this warm reception, we have reached the point where we are able to start ECD workshops with groups of parents. Our ECD programme will tie in really well with the ECD play groups that are due to be implemented by Mentor Mothers Zithulele in early 2013.
Our intention with the Zithulele Preschool has always been for it to be a model for others to follow. We were very encouraged to see this start happening when the pre- school teacher from a neighbouring area requested assistance and started weekly shadowing and mentoring with Thandeka, our teacher, in the Zithulele pre-school. Through this, we learnt that her pre-school had lost their building and as a result, were sharing a classroom with the grade R students at the local government school. A classroom with 100 learners of different levels is not conducive to effective learning! After growing the relationship with this teacher and after meeting with community members, Jabulani has already started constructing a new building and has committed to supporting the management of this pre-school from the beginning of 2013.
None of our education programmes would be possible without the support of Stichting Zithulele, a Dutch foundation with links back to one of the first doctors to work in Zithulele. Their commitment to provide long term funding allows us to develop initiatives that have solid foundations and are therefore more likely to be sustainable. We are so appreciative of their support and therefore it was great that they were able to visit us in November and see our education programmes first hand.