The Deputy Minister for the Department of Social Development, Ms. Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, in partnership with the National Lotteries Commission, will virtually hand over over 17 Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres to communities in the North West Province as part of Women’s month activities.
This year, Women’s Month is commemorated under the theme: “Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights for an Equal Future.” The ECD sector has elevated the participation of women in the economy while it also serves as a child protection and poverty alleviation programme.
Chapter 9 of the National Development Plan (Vision 2030) acknowledges the importance of education in dealing with poverty and inequality in South Africa. In fulfilling the goals of the NDP, South Africa is making serious investments in its future, with a specific focus on improving ECD.
Early Childhood Development was declared a public good thus prioritising its expansion to all children as part of Government’s first 1000 Days Campaign. This DSD and NLC project is aimed at strengthening service delivery in ECD centres.
Last year, President Cyril Ramaphosa also announced during his State of the Nation Address that Early Childhood Development Centres will be migrated from the Department of Social Development to the Department Basic Education and the two Departments have been working together towards this realisation.
The Department of Social Development still continues with the registration, provision and the administration of the ECD subsidy and ECD centres are encouraged to register their programs through the Department’s Vangasali Campaign.
ECD practitioners can WhatsApp the word “ECD” to 082 046 8553 or visit https://www.nelsonmandela.org/vangasali to register their ECD centres.
The ECD Centres to be handed over by the Deputy Minister are part of the NLC’s infrastructure legacy project, which to date, has benefitted a total of 203 organisations across the country to the value over R460 Million.
This funding is symbolic of the NLC’s commitment to invest in programmes that change the trajectory of the lives of South African children - particularly those from poor communities.
In the North West, 17 organisations will receive ECD brick and mortar structures, while 11 will become custodians of fully-equipped edutainers. These buildings are the same shape and size and accommodate a maximum of 120 children.
The purpose of the project is to develop a comprehensive, sustainable and costed service delivery model for early childhood development interventions.
Members of the media are invited to cover the virtual handover scheduled as follows:
Date: Friday, 14 August 2020
Time: 11:00
Venue: Virtual Platform
Link: https://youtu.be/vOmYaL2fWWw
Media can RSVP by contacting Ms Makhosazana Mavuso on 072732 9381 or makhosazanama@dsd.gov.za or Ms Nomfundo Xulu-Lentsoane on 066 480 6845 or NomfundoLe@dsd.gov.za
Media enquiries may be forwarded to:
Ms Lumka Oliphant
Cell: 083 484 8067
Email: LumkaO@dsd.gov.za
Mr Ndivhuho Mafela
Cell: 082 737 8370
Email: ndivhuhom@nlcsa.org.za
