Preschool for needy kids faces closure
A Rondebosch East preschool that provides free education to needy children based on the principles of yoga, is facing a financial crunch and is appealing to the public to help it stay open.
Fourteen Children from informal settlements such as Pook se Bos in Rylands, Flamingo Heights in Lansdowne and Hadji Ebrahim in Belgravia attend the Children of Light Educare (Colt) with the help of a free-transport service offered by the preschool.
Colt is a registered non-profit and last month it was registered as a partial care facility with the provincial education department, permitting it to provide a service to at least 20 children from the ages of 2 to 6.
Principal Mala Makan said they had to get a zoning certificate from the City to make the premises compliant.
“This was very costly as alterations had to be made due to new by-laws set up in the municipality. The costs incurred to the organisation was approximately R140 000.”
The preschool’s premises were donated, it gets monthly financial support from donors as well food donations and support with building maintenance, but, according to Ms Makan, it still battles to pay its monthly expenses.
“We pay a R7000 stipend per month for transport, which covers the driver’s payment and the petrol, and we also pay R15 000 a month stipend, which is divided amongst our four educare staff members.”
Volunteers help with administration, fund-raising, teaching and cooking.
The preschool is also only open for four days a week instead of five to reduce running costs.
“Our parents are always requesting for our children to attend five days per week though this can only happen when we have adequate funds,” Ms Makan said.
The teachers, she said, were the heart of the school. “They go into the homes to fetch the children in the morning to ensure daily attendance.”
The children also get three meals a day at the school.
Teacher Nushfeekah Levendal said it was touching and rewarding working with the children. She added that the school had also helped the parents get birth certificates for their children at Home Affairs and apply for social security cards so they could get monthly childcare grants.
Parent Mevelyn Joon, from the Hadji Ebrahim informal settlement, said her son, who now attends Belthorn Primary, had always enjoyed his time at the preschool. “He has learnt a lot at the creche and the staff were extremely helpful.”
Yvonne Tamana, another parent from the Hadji Ebrahim settlement, has a four-year-old daughter at Colt, and she said it had held workshops with the parents to help them cope with their stress. “We learned breathing exercises and also ways to better communicate with our children.”
Western Cape Education Department spokesman Unathi Booi said preschools could approach the department for funding provided they were registered.
“There are no timeframes for applications, meaning facilities can apply at any given time, subject to budget availability.”
The department’s call centre can be contacted at 0861 819 919.
Ms Makan said they had contacted the department to find out about applying for funding. “I have called in and received confirmation that they have received my email of request for a meeting to gain understanding of how we can proceed.”
The preschool has also started a BackaBuddy page to raise funds. For more information visit colt.org.za, email info@colt.org.za or WhatsApp Ms Makan at 084 919 4864.
