When conducting a site visit at one of our new Community Impact Partners, Deputy Director, Zama Masondo, discovered that Zavutha Creche in Mandeni is in serious need of help.
We all know the importance of children getting access to an Early Childhood Development programme and thankfully there is a good school readiness and stimulation programme in place at the creche, but they are extremely under-resourced.
This community is situated in a greatly deprived informal area with most parents facing unemployment and unable to pay creche fees regularly. The staff often use their own old age pensions to buy food for the children. When staff can be paid, they receive R300 a month.
Zavutha has a building with a leaking roof, there are no carpets or tiles on the floor, and many of the windows are broken. “A lot of the children have colds and sniffles as they are sitting on the concrete floor without mattresses or blankets, and their food supply is limited. This is heartbreaking to see, and you almost don’t know where to start,” explains Community Chest Durban director, Gordon McDonald.
“From April 2023 they have begun receiving a grant of R4 200 a month from Community Chest made possible by our kind donors. This should start making a difference to the quality of life of these 55 children,” continues Gordon.
“We have also started a much-needed blanket collection request to the public which will be running for the months of July and August 2023. We appeal to you to kindly consider donating a blanket to Zavutha Creche so a child at the Creche doesn’t have to sit on a cold concrete floor this winter.”
Blankets can be dropped off at our offices - 146 Florida Road, Morningside or depending on the location and amount, we can arrange collection. Community Chest Durban will ensure that your contributions will reach Zavutha Creche as soon as possible.