Sakhile Centre of Learning Preschool South Africa

My name is Zach Thom. I have joined forces with the Legacy of Grace NGO to fund a preschool in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Below is a description of my experiences, the preschool (Sakhile Centre of Learning), and the goals we have for the betterment of the community of Amazizi.

 

 

Background

I recently visited South Africa for a wine harvest. Little did I know that the country would change me forever. I met the most amazing people and learned about the world, different cultures, history, and myself. I met Elijah H Mbonane on a hike in the Drakensberg mountains. He was guiding a group of Zulu to the Mont-aux-Sources to collect water for an equinox ritual. These are people very connected to the land and their ancestorial history. After the hike, I offered to drive Elijah home, and he invited me to visit their Zulu village the next day. So, the following morning I drove down a pothole-ridden dirt road to reach Amazizi. He welcomed me into his creche (preschool), the Sakhile Centre of Learning, where he showed me the first mudbrick building that they built by hand for the operation. They designed the school to run off-the-grid as the region's electricity, water, and waste collection systems are undeveloped. They have created a way to generate methane gas through cow dung bio-gestors. They use the methane produced to boil water for the kid’s meals. The lessons the children receive put them far ahead of their peers when they enter primary school. Childcare also allows the parents to earn an income while their children are safe in class. As the school grows, they hope it can act as a centerpiece of the community attracting visitors to promote ecotourism within the village. By enriching the lives of children, they enrich the lives of the community.

 

The Legacy of Grace Foundation (NGO)

Cheryl Grace (American) and Cheryl Blackburn (South African) joined forces with Elijah Mbonane in 2015 to build the Amazizi preschool. They set up an NGO to organize and distribute 100% of the funds raised directly to the Sakhile Centre of Learning. Through generous donations, they have been able to work with local contractors to build the preschool in a sustainable, environmentally conscious manner.

 

The Preschool

The Sakhile Centre of Learning is a nonprofit, privately funded center for early childhood development. Education is provided in a play-based approach in both English and Zulu, focusing on developing crucial life skills at an early age. Below are some of the goals for the operation:

They employ six full-time staff members: two teachers, one childcare provider, a chef, an administrator, and a groundskeeper. The children are separated into three classes. Children 6 months to 1 year are attended to in a nursery-like environment. Children 1 to 3 years are taught basic lessons in English and Zulu. Children 3 to 5 years are considered the senior class. They learn mostly English to prepare them for primary school. The children are provided two meals a day. The total cost for parents is R150 (about $10) a month per child. This year they were able to provide education for nearly 80 children. They were forced to turn a few kids away due to a lack of infrastructure. 

 

Amazizi, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Amazizi is a rural settlement located at the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains outside of the Royal Natal National Park. The area is poverty-stricken, with over 95% of the community relying on subsistence farming. Many of the inhabitance depend on remittances and pensions to survive. Transportation is limited in the area reducing the community’s access to resources and educational opportunities. Recent severe flooding in the region of KwaZulu-Natal (ultimately taking the lives of over 400 and displacing thousands more) has devasted many of the homes near the river. The region's infrastructure is not developed to protect these peoples from the challenges brought on by climate-changing effects.

 

How to Help

The school is a moving target. Besides the established building plans, there are upkeep costs for the property and facilities. Below is a brief list of needs that would improve the quality of life and education for the children:

 

We are often concerned with providing children with books and classroom supplies when helping support a school. However, the infrastructure and water/energy supply are much more fundamental in supporting the well-being and safety of students in impoverished communities. By funding the construction and upkeep of their existing structures, the preschool can continue to improve the lives of hundreds of children. These children will grow up to change the world one day. But first, we must do our part to make them feel like they are important as Elijah teaches the kids with this poem:

 

“I am somebody

I may be small, but I am somebody

I may be on welfare, but I am somebody

I may be young, but I am somebody

I may be poor, but I am somebody

I speak a different language, but I am somebody

I am Black, White, or Coloured, but I am somebody

I MUST be respected, protected, and NEVER rejected

because I am God’s child

I am somebody”

Reverend Jesse

 

Accomplishments

Below is an abbreviated list of building progress achieved by the Legacy of Grace Foundation and partners:

 

Allocation of Funding

All funds raised for this proposal will be earmarked and distributed to the Sakhile Centre of Learning through the Legacy of Grace Foundation. The Legacy of Grace distributes 100% of all funding raised directly to the project. The NGO does not withhold any of the funding for personal use. The funds go directly to the preschool and its upkeep. If you would like to learn more about Cheryl Grace, Cheryl Blackburn, and Elijah Mbonane check out the website below:

 

Legacy of Grace