What a great year has started for Ikhaya Labantwana Montessori! We had our Official handing over and opening of Ikhaya Labantwana on Thursday, 16 January 2014 and that was a super day! The building was handed over to Sustainable Coffee Bay NPO by Dr Vuyelwa Nhlapo, CEO of the National Development Agency. It was an emotional, happy, exciting, over-whelming day which was enjoyed by all 250 people who attended. Nomonde and the Jonga Mama’s prepared a fine lunch of ngusho with mutton curry, cabbage, potato salad and beetroot salad – thank you very much for a lovely meal! All the lovely food was given to us by the very generous Viedgesville Superstore, Ngwanguba Store, CTM in Mthatha and Xaba, a local business owner – thank you all very much for the your kindness and playing a major part in the success of the day! The highlight of the day was definitely when Ms Nosipho Nkalitshana from the Department of Social Development, committed publicly, to financially assist Ikhaya Labantwana Montessori from April 2014, when the government’s new financial year starts – YEAH!!!! There was also commitment from the Department of Education to assist Ikhaya Labantwana Montessori. It has taken us 4 years to get the big guys to assist us financially, and now I do believe the time has come!
While the big guys are waiting for the new financial year to come, our other donors and sponsors are kept busy with their continuous efforts to fundraise abroad to help sustain Ikhaya Labantwana Montessori. Our youngest individual donor is Patrick Binns, 11 years old from the UK. He bakes and sells cupcakes at school to fundraise for us. Here are a few pics of Patrick and his lovely efforts. Thank you Patrick!!!
The children are returning to Ikhaya Labantwana Montessori tomorrow, and we are welcoming 10 new young ones into our environment…….very exciting! The first days will be spent doing grace and courtesy activities, harvesting the garden (thanks Stichting Obonto and Harold and Paulien!) and ‘shopping’ for new clothes ….again! A MASSIVE thank you (again) to Denise Fasser and the children and parents of Milnerton Montessori for again sending us boxes of wonderful quality children’s clothing. We cannot express how much we appreciate this!!!!! Thank you also for the lovely Christmas presents you sent to each child…….you have made these children, who have no toys, very, very, very happy – Enkosi kakuhlu for your efforts!!
We are also very happy to welcome Jess Bailey who has joined us at Ikhaya Labantwana as a Directress.
Wishing everyone as great a start to 2014 as what Ikhaya Labantwana Montessori is having!
Happy days…..
Dawn, teachers and abantwanas