Thušanang’s work is world-class

Terry Morgan of Haenertsburg, director of the NGO Thušanang Trust, says the road to ECD for Thušanang was a natural one.

“We started out as an association that did community projects.

The centre here in Magoebaskloof was initially built as a training centre as well as a venue where community members could gather for meetings and cultural events.

The facilities were then used to do capacity building training and other projects. As time went by, ECD became our main focus.”

Thušanang is the Sepedi word for ‘to help one another’.

Today the centre boasts 17 full-time employees that work at the centre and five more that work remotely.

They also have a mobile ECD truck that goes out to ECD’s venues in the region where there is no access to ECD.

Training is not only provided to practitioners and caregivers, but also to parents in a quest to speak to the well-being of children in the whole community.

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“Although workshops and on-site training are conducted in the communities where we are involved, the centre continues to be the heart of Thušanang’s activities,” says Terry.

Over the years their reputation was recognised by many funders, local and international, who have contributed in various ways.

Twelve years ago a group of 30 Austrian university students built an ECD centre on the premises of Thušanang. This unique facility is still in use and is currently being prepared to accommodate returning children after the lockdown.

Thušanang also had to adjust their programmes when the coronavirus hit the world in March.

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“We had to train ourselves to use online platforms to do training. Social distancing has further influenced on how we arrange our physical work areas and days, says Terry.

“In the end we want to deliver a service in our communities that promotes the well-being and development of young children and as such, ECD practitioners and primary care-givers have become our main focus,” says Terry.

Thušanang is currently piloting a new project which aims to strengthen ECD and the implementation of children’s rights in three “clusters”.

“Each cluster consists of 13 – 15 ECD centres where we are building awareness in the community surrounding these centres on the importance of early childhood care and education.

This is being achieved through: training ECD centre managers, committees and practitioners; building on the skills and capacity of parents or primary caregivers; and sharing information with members of the community on issues that affect the well-being of the young child,” says Terry.

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As well as offering training, Thušanang is supporting the ECD centres to operate legally and register with the Department of Social Development, by upgrading their centres and supplying educational resources.

Relationships with leaders in the communities are being strengthened to support the project and future sustainability of the ECD centres and the overall well-being of the children.