There was great joy when Breadline Africa and Afri-CAN Children’s Charity joined Lolly Pop Educare Centre to launch their new classrooms and joint kitchen/toilet facility on Thursday, 16 May 2019.
When Breadline Africa visited the centre in July 2018 they were operating from a large one room wooden shack. The kitchen and toilet facilities were also makeshift structures on the property In order to upgrade Lolly Pop, it was necessary to demolish all of the existing structures to create the space needed to accommodate three new specially-repurposed container structures. During the re-build of the centre, principal, Noma India Radebe continued to provide her valuable service to the community from a nearby church hall.
Diane Laugksch Breadline Africa’s Strategic Partnerships Manager recalled the first meeting of partners at Lolly Pop Educare Centre on 26 July 2018 At this meeting, partners and staff of the centre discussed the establishment of a new facility and the first “plans” for a new layout were drawn in the sand of the property. She said that working in collaboration with Afri-CAN Children’s Charity on this project has made it possible to establish a safe, hygienic and functional learning facility for the 83 children attending Lolly Pop Educare Centre.
Guests attending the launch were invited to observe children during their “morning greeting circle”, during which they were asked to note the day of the week, the date, time and weather.
Afri-CAN Children’s Charity has had a long standing relationship with Noma India and will continue to deliver its stimulating early learning and nutritional programme at Lolly Pop Educare Centre. Afri-CAN’s six pillar support programme aims to ensure that children attending this facility are ‘school ready’ by the age of six.
Lolly Pop is a member of the Khayelitsha Early Childhood Development Forum. Other non profit organisations also supporting the work being done at this centre include Sikhule Sonke and Peninsula School Feeding Association.
