Desperate créche owner appeals for help
Hester Carolus was kicked out of the premises she has been using as a créche for the past 18 years.
A PINETOWN créche owner, who has dedicated her life to looking after children, is devastated that her childhood dream is about to be shattered due to a premises issue.
Hester Carolus owns Modern Kids in Imperial Lane and had a hard upbringing as she said her parents were not there for her.
“I told myself that I would never allow for another child to go through the same hardships I went through,” she said.
Carolus turned all of the distress and hardships she faced into the unconditional love and warmth she gives to the children at her créche.
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She said looking after children is the only job she knows and it gives meaning to her life.
“I used to look after children at a school in Durban and then I opened my créche 18 years ago. My problems started last year when we were kicked out of the place I have been renting ever since I started Modern Kids.
Before being kicked out, Carolus said they had no water for three weeks as the building was broken into and criminals stole all the copper pipes.
“We were destitute but by God’s grace, Slindile Mkhize, opened her creche, Disney Junior, for us to share. I use to have 72 children which I looked after and now I have 32.
The building which the two women are using is a one big room where all the children, aged from two and a half years to six years, are looked after.
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“We are very grateful to Slindile for taking us in but she has her 20 children and I really feel that it’s unfair that we are invading her space.”
Carolus pleads to people and companies in the Pinetown CBD to help her with a place that she can utilise as a crèche.
“We do not have any sponsors and the children do not even have a play area and some parents cannot afford to pay school fees. These are my babies and they are my life, I do not know what I would do without them. I do not have much, but they bring happiness to my life,” she said.
Owner of Disney Junior, Slindile Mkhize, said she has known Hester for a very long time and she could not let her and the children down.
“Hester, known as Gogo in this area, is loved by everyone because of her dedication to the children,” she said.
Anyone who can assist with a venue for Modern Kids or any items for the two créches can contact Carolus on 074 996 5610 or Mkhize on 078 414 9506.
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