Izikhungo zeNkulisa ziyindawo ephephile yabantwana

Emphakathini wasendaweni yasemakhaya yeseNcutshane oPhongolo, KwaZulu-Natali, uLungile Precious Simelane unikele impilo yakhe ekwenzeni indawo ephephile nenakekela abantwana abancane.

Wazalwa waphinde wakhulela eNcutshane, uhambo lwakhe belubonisa ukuba namandla, ukusiza kanye nokuzinikela okuyisimanga kwezemfundo. Unguthishanhloko waseBuhle Bemvelo Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre oPhongolo.

“Izikhungo zeNkulisa zidlala indima ebaluleke kakhulu ezimpilweni zabantwana bethu. Zibalungiselela imfundo ehlelekile… Zivumela abantwana ukuthi bakhule kahle futhi bafunde amakhono okuphila emphakathini,” kusho uSimelane, ongumama wabantwana abayisihlanu.

Isikhungo sasungulwa ngowe-1995, uSimelalane wathatha izintambo ngowezi-2022. Njengamanje sinabantwana abangama-50 futhi siqashe othisha abathathu.

Sibhalise ngokusemthethweni ngaphansi kukahulumeni futhi sithla uxhaso oluphuma kuMnyango Wezokuthuthukiswa Komphakathi, okuyilona olusiza ngokudla kwabantwana kanye nokukhokhela abasebenzi.

USimelane ukuchazile ukuthi uhambo lwakhe noBuhle Bemvelo lwaqala ngowezi-2006, ngesikhathi eqashwa ngokusemthethweni kulesi sikhungo. Kuyo yonke le minyaka – kulandela ukudlula kwabasunguli baso – wazithola esengena ezicathulweni zokuba umholi.

Kodwa lolu hambo lube nezinselele. Uxhasomali luncane, izinsizakusebenza azenele, futhi nomphakathi udinga ukuqhubeka nokukhula. Nomakunjalo, uSimelane umile ethembeni. 

Amaphupho ache ekusasa agxile ekukhuleni nasekusimameni. Unephupho lokuba namagumbi okufunda amaningi, izinhlelo zakusihlwa zabantwana asebekhulile, kanye nemidlalo efana nebhola likanobhutshuzwayo nomdlalo weshashalazi ukuze bezogcina abantwana bephephile, kukhona abakwenzayo futhi bekhuthazekile.

“Angifuni abantwana bethu bawele ezidakamizweni noma ezintweni eziyingozi emigwaqeni. Ngifuna bathole inhloso yokuphila futhi babe amalungu angcono emiphakathini,” kusho yena.

Ngowezi-2021, iBuhle Bemvelo yasebenzisana neDo More Foundation kanye nozakwabo abasebenzisana nayo, iLulamaphiko. Namuhla, isikhungo singesinye sezikhungo ze-ECD eziyi-120 ezisekwa yiDo More Foundation.

Ngokusho kukaDipo Mhlongo wale nhlangano, ama-ECD ayingxenye yeYoung Child Forum, inkundla lapho ukufunda, ukuthuthukiswa kwabasebenzi kanye nezindlela ezinhle zokusebenza e-ECD zibekwa khona eqhulwini ngokwesekwa ikomidi leforamu.

“Babe ngesinye sezikhungo zokuqala zama-ECD ezakhethwa ukuthi ziqhube uhlelo lwe-Eat Love Play Talk (ELPT) iminyaka emibili. USimelane waqeqeshwa, kanye nabanye abasebenzi base-ECD esikhungweni sakhe, ukuthi abe ngumlawuli we-ELPT. Ngokubambisana babe namaseshini nabanakekeli abangama-26 esikhathini esiyizinyanga eziyisikhombisa – amaseshini ayisikhombisa ngonyaka,” kuchaza yena.

Wengeze ngokuthi isikhungo siphinde sibambe iqhaza ohlelweni lweFunda Engadini (Ukufunda Engadini), lapho bethola ukuqeqeshwa nokwesekwa kwanyanga zonke, kanjalo nomsebenzi wengadi yokudla, lapho umlimi eqeqeshwa, anikwe izinsizakusebenza aphinde elulelwe nyanga zonke.

Ngeminye imininingwane, vakashela ku: www.domore.org.za noma ku: www.dsd.gov.za