Founded in September 2018, the Friends of Thandolwethu Association has had two financial reports drafted and approved, and now an annual report as well, which gives an account of the activities carried out between September 2018 and February 2020.
The experiences that children make in their early years are crucial to the development of their language, thinking, social and emotional skills. Richer experiences in that phase become solid foundations for brain development and for academic performance at a later stage.
The goal of the Friends of Thandolwethu is to bring into being the idea of a Reggio Emilia inspired Early Childhood Development Centre in Samora Machel, Cape Town: the Thandolwethu ECD. The project was initiated by three residents of the area, whom the association is assisting by making resources available to: support their professional development and entrepreneurial training; research and explore different educational activities; promote and disseminate innovative educational practices inspired by the Reggio Emilia pedagogic approach and to build the space that will host the centre.
Our team in Samora Machel wants to design and offer an enquiry-based programme that helps children to develop their potential in a safe, healthy and creative setting. To sustain the initiative requires the team to develop skills of social entrepreneurship so that the centre is able to generate income for themselves and for others in their community.
We are building this project from the bottom up, thanks to a practice of solidarity that sees individuals from different backgrounds, different communities and different countries coming together to tackle two issues at once: education and livelihood.