“The work done by the City of Johannsburg (CoJ) here today is highly appreciated and the centre will always keep the memory alive.”
These were the words of Confidence Aphane, who has been the principal of the Itumeleng Early Childhood Development Centre since 2013.
In the spirit of Mandela Day, the staff members from Johannesburg Roads Agency, Johannesburg Water, Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo and Pikitup, as well as some representatives from Hollard Insurance company, spent 67 minutes of their time with the centre’s learners.
During the visit, the staff members showered the children with toys, books, shoes, clothes and blankets, as well as care packages containing diapers, cream, lotion and soap.
But, that was not all they donated – they also rolled up their sleeves and jumped in to give the centre’s classrooms a new coat of paint and cleaned up the premises.
According to the Regional Director, Mlamleli Bellot, this was not just a once-off 67-minute project for Mandela Day. “We have identified the Itumeleng ECD centre, because it is situated in a poor community and will need further assistance to meet the standards of compliance determined by the city’s Social Development Department,” he said.
He added that the city was committed to the upliftment of the poor and marginalised communities and that is why the decision was taken to focus on the children. “We came out in our numbers to support this centre today by painting the classrooms, kitchen and office,” he said.
He assured the staff at the centre that they will come back to build a carport and provide shade for the children playing on the playground. “We feel honoured to do this in the spirit of former president Nelson Mandela, as he was very passionate about children,” he concluded.
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