So far we have built and totally renovated over 30 kindergartens. Employees in these kindergartens have received one year training through the International Child Development Program, ICDP. In total there are approximately 500 children attending the kindergartens (chrèches) that Impande has built, refurbished, operated or equipped, and in which we have raised the competence of the employees.
1. Kindergarten in Gamalakhe Development Center, GDC
The kindergarten dream, which was the starting point of all our involvement in Gamalakhe, became a reality when the center of GDC was opened in April 2009. The GDC building is approximately 300 m2 and cost approximately GBP 190 000 to build. Sandvika Rotary Club procured all equipment for GDC by raising USD 55 550 through a matching grant.
40-50 children aged 2-6 years old have been given a full day program in the kindergarten. GDC collaborates with municipal authorities who use approximately half of the places for children from particularly needy families. These are children which have, for example, lost one or both parents to HIV-AIDS, who themselves are infected with HIV, have already developed AIDS, or have other developmental challenges. To get a balanced children’s group, the rest of the seats are offered to children from normally functioning families. Since 2010, the focus has been on raising the quality of the care given at the centre’s kindergarten. The staff have participated in the International Child Development Program (ICDP). This has focused on competence-improving measures and he coordinator at GDC has, together with staff, developed standard requirements for kindergarten employees. The kindergarten leader prepars day and week plans for the work and the main children now participate every day for an hour in their own pre-school group.
The parents pay a nominal fee to have their children in kindergarten, approximately GBP 8 per month. Nevertheless, more children must be granted placement for free. Impande has established a sponsor scheme that provides funds to cover the net expenditure of kindergarten. A sponsorship costs NOK 250 per month. Sponsors receive a newsletter seven times a year about life in this and other kindergartens. If you want to be a sponsor, click here.
2. Improvement of other kindergartens in the Gamalakhearea
GF wants to provide other kindergartens in the area the equipment needed to give the children the necessary stimulation and will prioritize kindergartens with employees who have completed ICDP courses, or otherwise demonstrate the initiative and the courage.
In March 2010, the chairman and sponsors of the Norway visited a retired teacher married couple who lived in the area near the town of Port Edwards. They took care of 18 children who had lost their parents in HIV-AIDS, they ran a farm that supplied them and many other needy in the village with food, and they drove training in the sewing for youth. Their work day lasted from 0430 in the morning to 2000 in the evening.
There and then it was decided to arm up the nursery. The visitor sponsors gave a spontaneous KR. 10.000 which was used to purchase toys, educational materials, table chairs and mattresses for the children’s garden. A sewing machine was also purchased.
Sports, especially football has great popularity in South Africa. But the sport among the black population of South Africa is generally and often characterized by:
- Poor organization
- Lack of qualified managers and coaches
- Equipment is often absent or worn down
A group of active sports youth in the local church in Gamalakhe has set a goal to do something about it. They will start with the development of managers, coaches, series and tournaments in football for the age group 12-16 years.
3. Organizing sports related to the local church in Gamalakhe
In November 2010, GDC staged a weekly startup seminar in Gamalakhe with two experts from Kenya. They have organized a substantial sporting work through the churches in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Lessons from this startup seminar form the starting point for the sports work done in the district today.
