Umusa Uyasilandela ECD Centre is based at KwaZikhali Hall, Ohwebede area under the Mandeni Local Municipality and run by Principal Ms Lindiwe Zikhali. They operate a partial care facility and have 62 registered children in their care.
“We are, however, only funded for 22 children by the Department of Basic Education. This makes it very difficult for a rural-based ECD Centre to function properly because the resources are so limited,’’ explains Mr Laurance Mngomezulu, Programme Director. “We provide two meals a day to the children plus snacks between breakfast and lunch and one more snack time just before they go home at 14:30.’’
Interestingly, the ECD Centre was not founded by one individual but was a collective effort of the entire community after realising that development in the area was non-existent. There was no creche or school in the area and children had to travel kilometres to the nearest facilities,’’says Mr Mngomezulu.
“When we realised the extent of poverty in the area after opening the ECD Centre, we decided to also start an Old Age Service Centre in order to provide at least one decent meal to the elderly persons of our community a day. This we would not have achieved without the monthly financial assistance and at various times food parcel donations from Community Chest Durban”.
“On behalf of Umusa Uyasilandela Projects Non-Profit Organisation Executive committee, beneficiaries and the community of Macambini, I would like to pass our greatest gratitude to the Executive Board, Management, staff and valuable donors of Community Chest Durban for the love and support they are giving to our rural impoverished community of Ohwebede,’’ concludes Mr Mngomezulu.
Umusa Uyasilandela is one of the Early Childhood Development Centres that will receive funding through the Comrades Superheroes campaign which sees runners signing up for Race4Charity and raising much-needed funds for under-resourced children, under the age of five.