Early Childhood Development

The very best perk of my fundraising post is its provision of a excellent excuse to hang out with the tiny township children in SAEP's partner crèches - our most adorable beneficiaries. Between singing and dancing (I have the cutest videos of this!) and working on puzzles, the day flew by. The best part was recess, when the girls did my hair and we played a game of monster that had them falling on their little butts with the giggles. I gave the kids my camera and let them snap pictures of each other - this is one of them.

My cheeks are still sore from smiling that day.

p.s. Creche = somewhere between daycare and preschool - we aim to help them get to the preschool/Early Childhood Development Centre level (see below)

About SAEP's Early Childhood Development (ECD) Programme:

The programme is a partnership between SAEP and township crèche principals and staff; it serves 16 creches and over 1300 beneficiaries under the age of seven. The programme aims to enable severely under-resourced township creches to become Early Childhood Development Centres able to adequately and sustainably provide for township children with regard to their health, education, and development. The programme works through four stages:

SAEP first aims to help the crèche provide for the children's basic needs, through infrastructure improvement so that there is adequate space, proper sanitation and protection from natural elements, in addition to the provision of nutritious daily meals.

SAEP secondly aims to help the crèche staff and committees obtain non-profit status and registration with the Department of Social Services. Such registrations provide for the crèche's long-term growth and development, allows them to receive government subsidies, and enables them to pay their staff a living wage. Overall, it helps the operation to achieve financial sustainability.

Thirdly, SAEP assists and consult the creches in programme management and curriculum development to ensure that the ECD centre meets the requirements for Grade R (preschool) education.

Finally, SAEP aims to empower crèche principals, staff, and committees as the keys to the continued well-being of their ECD centre, as well as the greater movement to provide quality and universal early childhood care to township communities.