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Below is Nokwethemba's story, one woman who has big dreams for the children of Njomelwane - providing them with a space to feel safe and protected, to feel equal regardless of where they are coming from, to have a full stomach for the afternoon, and to feel the lightness and laughter every 5 year old should.
Nokwethemba writes..
About Njomelwane
Njomelwane is a small rural Zulu village in South Africa. We have very much poverty, many people are not working and they fail to do things for themselves because it is difficult to find jobs in this area. Many people must leave the village to find work in the cities so there are not many parents left to take care of their children. Also many of the people here are affected by HIV and AIDS, maybe 60%, and others are suffer from hunger and fail to support their children. When parents die of HIV, sometimes the children live alone in their homes or with other relatives who cannot care for them.
About the children coming to the creche
There are so many problems coming across with children who are coming to the creche. Children are coming without food. The problem is I do not know what I am going to do because there is no other food here to give them. Some children come only with uphuthu and cabbage for several days and others come with nothing. The children are coming from all different homes, some better some not so good. It is hard to be fair for these children.
About me as a teacher
As a teacher I like to be there because I want to help my community and I want to see my area to go to another level. I like to look after children and I don't want to see them around the village with no one to watch them when their parents leave them for work. It is better for them to be at the creche because they are safe.. outside there are many different situations when children are alone, including maybe rape. I became a teacher at the creche because women in the village came together to share their vision of who is going to be the right person to look after their children and they choose me.
How do I feel as a teacher
I am liking teaching but I am confused what will happen in the future or in coming years. I am a single parent with four childrens and I am looking after them alone. I want to make their future to be bright and see that now the education is important.
My dreams for the creche
The name of our creche is Hlakaniphani, meaning To Grow Clever and that is what I want for this creche. I want to see the creche grow from zero level to its highest level. The highest level is when I can see the children supported at the creche in every way, especially I want to see them eat food. I want the creche to be a place no matter which kind of home they coming from, they are all equal when they are there. They feel safe and protected. The creche at its highest level would also be a place the children can feel happy, they are learning and playing indoor and outdoor games together. They will cooperate with others and understand that in this village we share things together.
The plan
For bringing the creche to its highest level, we will buy childrens furniture, kitchen material, and garden tools. We will use our garden tools first to work on garden and plant vegetables, mealies, and fruit for the creche in order to feed our children. In some time we hope we will also sell some of the food to give us some money to save for the creche. Next we will buy kitchen supplies so we can prepare lunches for the children. Last we want to buy furniture for the creche – blankets for nap time, chairs and mats to play, a chalkboard for teaching, and a desk for me the teacher. Also we hope to buy books and toys to open their minds and to make them to know things like how to count and read words. When parents see there is somethings happening at the creche instead of an empty building, they will be better at sending their children because they will see the value in the school. We hope that in one years time we can save money from the garden and from small school fees and continue to take care of the school and our children so we can make their future to be bright. Our community is supposed to know there is something happening here. Now they see the creche and see nothing - they don't believe in it. I want at last, they will see that there is something happening not just in the creche but in this village so I think that it will make them happy and give them hope.
Please find the Growing Clever Budget at http://growingclever.weebly.com/
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Lessigs
3110 East Autumn Run Circle
Sugar Land, TX 77479
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