By Thabisa Ndzindzwa
Sharon Velile-Hlazo spent seven years unemployed after graduating with a B.Ed from Walter Sisulu University, specialising in the EMS FET phase.
Like many teachers she would be employed temporarily but nothing permanent came her way.
When she and her husband moved to their new home in Mantanjeni, Mthatha, in the Eastern Cape in 2020, she saw a gap for an Early Childhood Development centre (ECD) that needed to be filled urgently.
“When I arrived here, I saw a lot of children playing in the streets — even the ones within school going age, and no sight of any pre-school or even a primary school nearby.”
“At the beginning of 2021 I went door to door asking parents, would they send their children to pre-school if I opened one? They were very happy and supportive of the idea,” she said.
She registered the ECD Centre, Mantanjeni pre-school, with the Department of Social Development, and started accepting children aged between two and five years.
And now the first graduating class — 10 small learners — are on their way to big school.
Obtaining basic education has become a struggle for children at Mantanjeni. The roof of the only primary school, Zoyisile JSS, was destroyed by storms in 2018.
Parents tried to fix the roof, but in the end decided to take their children to other schools, fearing for their safety, and the school closed.
Hlazo’s school has offered much needed relief to the community and given her a way to use her skills.
The Mantanjeni ECD is funded by parents who pay a fee of R100 per month. It is using a rondavel that was made available by one of the community members for a classroom and 24 children were enrolled for 2022.
Pictured above: Sharon Hlazo with one of her learners
Image source: Supplied
