LETCEE - Little Elephant Further Education and Training College

What an inspiring young lady!

2012-01-20T12:52:00.003+02:00

I was really blown away by this young lady. What a love she must have for people and it was so good to hear of someone who still believes she can make a difference to the lives of others and is not so overwhelmed by need that she sits back and does nothing. Thanks Tyrah on behalf of the children that you have so generously helped! Here is the letter we received from Tyrah after she held her garage sale to raise money for children in Africa who have less than she does....

"Hello, my name is Tyrah and I am 10 years old. I live in Australia with my family. My Mama used to live in South Africa, and she tells me stories about how kids over there don't have as much as I do. I thought that there must be something I can do to help, so Mama and I came up with the idea of having a garage sale and sending our profits to help children in South Africa. Mama found LETCEE online and we decided that, that is where we should send the money we raised.

I asked all my friends and family to donate any unwanted thing they had... and boy did they have a lot of stuff!!!! It took a whole day to organize the clothes, kitchen things, DVD's, shoes, my Great Grandpa's records...the list goes on and on. Some of my family did not have anything to donate so they donated money, my Godfather and his family donated $100. WOW!

Finally we had th garage sale on Saturday December 3rd 2011. My Great Grandparents, my Mama and Papa, my Aunty Sheila and my Mum and little brother all helped out. And some of my family even come to buy some things on the day. A lot of people gave extra money or just said 'keep the change'. All together the garage sale raised about $420 then my Uncle and Aunty donated $50 so Mama made it up to a total of $500 then with my Godfathers $100 we raised $600 in total.

I hope this small donation helps the kids have a happy Christmas this year.

From Tyrah Rose."

Stories that encourage us to continue giving...

2011-09-09T11:42:00.002+02:00

At the beginning of the year I was asked by one of our Family Facilitators (FFs) to go and visit a home where there was a 3 year old girl who is disabled. I went to visit and discovered that this little girl was hemiplegic and was not walking and not using her left hand at all. She had been to physioytherapy once but had never returned.

I spent a long time counselling the mother, grandmother and FF, encouraging them not to do everything for this little girl and to encourage her to walk and use her hand. We also spent some time discussing the different activities and exercises they could do to help her to regain function. They then attended physiotherapy and occupational therapy at the local clinic.

I had not seen this little girl again until earlier this week when we went to spent some time in her home. She is walking and running well and participating in all activities with the other children. It was so encouraging to see how with a little extra information this family has been able to change the life of their little girl so she can participate fully in the family and community activities around her.

Getting the Gogo's involved

2011-09-01T14:32:00.001+02:00

Iris Mzila, one of our Senior Trainers, had a great experience recently when conducting a support visit with a Family Facilitator from Matimatolo and we asked her if she would share her experience with us:

“ On the 10th of August I visited Gugu Cele while she was visiting a family in Matimatolo. I was so pleased to see that the Gogo was participating in the activities that were being done by the children and the Family Facilitator. The Family Facilitator was encouraging cleanliness and safety in the home by telling a story about picking up papers and rubbish in their yard. Both children and adults listened intently to the story. Afterwards the Gogo spoke to me about the benefit of the programme to her family. She is very happy that her grandchildren are able to be a part of this programme. She likes to listen to the children as they engage with the Family Facilitator and while I was there she also told a story to the children.” Iris Mzila.

It is stories like this that encourage us and remind us of the difference we can make in the lives of the families that we work with. Well done Gugu for including caregivers in your morning programme, making them feel that they are important, have invaluable experiences to share and play an integral role in helping their children learn and grow.

What makes me smile :)

2011-09-01T13:31:00.004+02:00

Once again, in the midst of the busyness and all the problems that we face when working with communities and families, in the midst of sometimes feeling despondant because we have done all that we can but that doesn't feel like enough or doesn't solve anything, in the midst of all this I was faced with a story that made me smile....

Our Eshane Family Facilitators have just finished their ECD training for Home and Family Based ECD practitioners and last week we asked them for feedback on the course and what it had meant to them. The women said they enjoyed the training and now they know what to do with the children they work with whereas before they felt less confident and empowered. One of the things that really stood out for me is that they said that now they know what to do if a child is injured while they are playing with them and how to follow all the safety procedures correctly. I was encouraged that they have so easily incoporated what they learnt into their programmes and that we have been able to make a difference in not only their lives but in the lives of the children they work with.

Women's Day 2011

2011-08-05T10:46:00.000+02:00

As Women's Day approaches we at LETCEE have been considering just how things have changed for the women of South Africa over the past few decades. Women's Day is a day where we remember how women of South Africa stood up for their rights by staging a peaceful and silent protest at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Through the courageous acts of these and many other women, the women in South Africa have had many more opportunities afforded to them.

This then makes us think of the many women we have worked with and are working with at LETCEE. They are quietly going about getting a qualification and empowering themselves as women and inputting into the lives of the young children of our country. What a privilege to be working with these amzing women who are changing the lives of not only themselves but the future of SA's young children :)

Whose life am I influencing??

2011-07-12T12:55:00.003+02:00

The other day I had an interesting experience just outside the LETCEE offices. A young teenager greeted me saying, "Hallo Aunty Cezanne, how are you?" Her face looked vaguely familiar so I stopped and chatted to her asking about school and life in general. It was a really great experience, however afterwards I was trying to figure out who she was and where she knew me from.

A few days later I realized that she was one of the Buddies who had left the programme but it got me to thinking...
How many people's lives do we influence on a daily basis positively and sometime negatively?
Are we always aware of the influene that we have?

This experience has made me take greater note of how I act and how I treat people as you never know what an impact you can have.

36 new Buddies...wow!!

2011-07-12T12:47:00.002+02:00

In April this year we had to say good bye to 36 of our Buddies as they had reached the cut off age of 15 years. It was a bittersweet farewell as we had grown close to many of them over two and half years but we were also excited at how far they had come and excited of the prospect of the new Buddies we were going to meet.

So....with more than 50 percent of our Buddies being new to the programme we decided to have two full day workshops with the Buddies in the June/July holidays. We used the training manual that we developed for Unicef last year.

It was a great two days where LETCEE staff got to meet new children and the Buddies, from two different communities made a lot of new friends...

I am so excited to see the journey that these Buddies walk in over the next couple of years. What a privilege to be involved in the lives of these young men and women!!

Official Opening of Sikhulakahle Toy Library

2011-07-12T12:32:00.003+02:00

Wow! I can't believe that almost 3 weeks have passed since the Toy Library was officially opened. I remember thinking on the day that I had better write about it and then, as is the nature of all NGO's I became busy with so many other things.

What a journey the development of the Sikhulakahle Toy Library has been. What an adventure!! When the container finally arrived in April last year I think we all thought that we would have the Toy Library up and running in no time. A year and a bit later we can now say it is officially open and being enjoyed by many childern in the Mbuba community.

As is the case when working with communities, processes happen slowly, from building the roof over the top to electing a Toy Librarian to painting the Toy Library.

I must say that I am encouraged by the many people who donated their time, effort and expertise to make this dream a reality! It has been a frustrating but rewarding journey and now that it is being used by the community I am ready to take on the process again in another community...

LETCEE Lilani Fun Walk 2011

2011-05-24T10:49:00.008+02:00

Wow, what a day!

After so much running around, organizing and trying to sort out logistics, the day of the 1st LETCEE Lilani Fun Walk finally arrived. Sunday 22nd May turned out to be an amazing day and a lot warmer than expected but brilliant weather for the 10km or 5km walk down to Lilani Hot Springs.

50 people of all ages took on the challenge with the youngest being about 2 years of age. He took in the sights and sounds of this beautiful community from the comfort of his dad's shoulders. I realized what a privilege it is to be working with this community and as well as with each member of our staff (and some of their family members and friends too) who put their all into making it a fun and successful day, never once complaining that they had to work on a Sunday.

It was humbling to once again view the community with both its strengths and weaknesses through the eyes of the participants, many of whom were experiencing being in a rural community such as this for the very first time...

Update on Sikhulakahle Toy Library

2011-05-24T10:30:00.004+02:00

The LETCEE Staff and the Sikhulakahle Toy Librarian have been working extremely hard over the past couple of months to get the Sikhulakahle Toy Library up and running. It has been a daunting yet fun task, painting an undercoat, assembling shelving, painting murals, buying toys, marking the toys, etc. We are nearly done with the painting and are very grateful to Wembley College for their support and help with the painting as well as our two volunteers from the UK, Sarah and Nerissa who spent some time out in the community helping us paint.

The Toy Library has begun to function as the FF’s can now borrow toys from the Toy Library and we are looking forward to helping Sikhulakahle develop this Toy Library into a resource that will benefit people of all ages in the community. We will have the official opening in June which we are all looking forward to.

What we take for granted...

2011-03-22T13:33:00.002+02:00

I recently had the opportunity to visit a home in Matimatolo with our ECD Coordinator. This was an impromptu decision as I happened to be out in the community meeting with her and was asked if I had time to go and see a little 3 year old girl who had had a stroke in November 2010 and was now having difficulty walking and using her left hand.

I went to the home wondering why the Family Facilitator concerned had not referred the child to the clinic to see the therapists. After sitting down and speaking to the mother and the Gogo I was told that she had infact been to see the Physiotherapist at Greytown Hospital a couple of times and was told that there was no need to come back. This story distressed me as as an Occupational Therapist I could see that this child still needed therapy AND I know the Physiotherapists at the hospital well and I could not believe that they would have stopped therapy with this child.

It was awesome to be able to do an impromptu Occupational Therapy session with this family in their home, provide a home programme and refer the child on to the Therapists at Matimatolo clinic. I did however leave the home wondering what the whole story was so went to the hospital to investigate. When the child's file was located there was no record of any treatment recorded and thus it still remains a mystery as to who the child had seen. The whole experience has left me pondering how people are so different in their approaches to life. When I see a health professional I will take note of his/her name and ask many questions where as in cases such as these it is difficult to follow up as the family has no idea who saw them and what the diagnosis was. It reminded me that we need to encourage people to record the information and if it is not offered by the health worker/social worker/councillor that they have every right to ask.

The child has now been seen by the therapists at the local clinic and is to return next month for further treatment. I still wonder how many other children are out there that we have not come in contact with who have had the same experiences....

Excitement, Enthusiasm and Energy

2011-03-07T09:37:00.003+02:00

Last week, a new group of students started the first week of their training at LETCEE.

It is so encouraging to see their excitement and eagerness to learn. The ladies had a fun week, and feedback at the end of their first week was very positive. They felt they had learnt so much, and are excited to return to continue their path of learning about ECD.

We can only hope this enthusiasm for gaining knowledge continues, and that they instill this in the children they teach.

Some of the students with some resources which they learnt to make.

Wow!

2011-01-21T09:34:00.000+02:00

On Tuesday this week I was totally blown away by one of our Family Facilitators. After completing our planning meeting for the year with the Siyabathanda Abantwana Facilitators, she produced a bag of good quality used clothes that she had been given and had brought them for the FF's to share amongst themselves to give to the children that they work with! Witnessing this small act made me smile, gave me hope and made me realise that little by little members of this community are realizing the vast resources and capabilities that they have and they are using them (unprompted) to affect the lives of those around them!!

Preparing toys for the Sikhulakahle Toy Library

2010-12-07T12:04:00.007+02:00

On a cold and rainy 'summers' day the Family Facilitators came to LETCEE in order to prepare the toys for their very own Toy Library. The Family Facilitators are very excited that the Toy Library for their community is nearly ready and they cannot wait to use the many toys that they have helped to prepare!

Community participation and community ownership, how far have we come?

2010-11-02T09:10:00.008+02:00

As an Organization I feel that we manage to get the consultation process right most of the time but then there are times like today when one realizes that in an effort to meet funding requirements and deadlines we make decisions without knowing whether it suits the community or not.

Today is a case in point. We needed to have a meeting with a group of our family facilitators and last week we phoned each of them to say that WE had decided the meeting date would be today, Tuesday 2nd November. Not one of them told us at the time that the day was not suitable, however this morning we were told that it is in fact pension day today and thus our meeting venue would probably be used for pension payouts and our family facilitators would either be collecting their own grants or assisting the families that they work with to do so.

Initially I was irritated and wondered why we weren't told sooner. However when thinking about it I was reminded that we didn't ask the facilitators if the day was suitable for them and we just informed them of the date. I know that if we had asked them they would have given us an alternative date there and then. I then began to think about how easy it is to slip back into old ways of thinking where we tell communities what and how they should do things.

Such a small incident has made me very aware that we constantly need to evaluate how and why we do the things that we do. We also need to reflect as to whether we are actually achieving what we set out to achieve. It always amazes me how reflecting on such a simple incident can bring much insight into our behaviour.

I just had to smile...

2010-09-15T14:05:00.002+02:00

Yesterday I was totally inspired by one of our Family Facilitators, Prudence (Sho) Ngubane who ran an entire morning session with a group of children using resources she had made. These ranged from a skipping rope, a ball, shakers, counters and matching cards all made from waste such as plastic, cardboard, plastic bottles and paper. The only 'bought' item that she used were wax crayons.

The children were totally captivated by their morning activities and I was once again reminded that we don't necessarily need expensive toys when providing ECD to children. We need practitioners who are creative, innovative and have a passion to see children reach their full potential.

Taking Initiative

2010-09-14T15:11:00.004+02:00

This is our caterer Mamsy Dlamini.

Today she proudly came to work, with her certificate - a course which she did whilst on leave learning about cooking and baking.

Mamsy saw the course advertised in the newspaper, and decided it would be good for her to further her knowledge and skills. We respect the way she used her own initiative, to further develop herself!

Mamsy joined LETCEE as a shy young women. Today she is a vibrant, confident, important member of our team . Last year Mamsy prepared over 20 000 lunches and dinners for our learners!

We are looking forward to the cheesecake she's promised to bake us this week!

What are we REALLY doing for children with disabilities?

2010-09-08T09:56:00.006+02:00

Yesterday I was at a network meeting where the topic of discussion was around children and disability. As the various presenters spoke and questions were asked, I was transported back to my first year at University where we were told that people with disabilities were only disabled because of their environments. The fact is that the environment or the community are the disabling factors and not the person's functional difficulties.

As the meeting progressed I was shocked to hear what little in roads had been made in a city in terms of removing these barriers as opposed to those that have been made over the past 7 years in the Umzinyathi District in Kwazulu-Natal. After being told that the Department of Education did not see a need for special schools in Umzinyathi District, there is now a registered special school in Msinga and an informal special school in Umvoti who are in the process of registering. In some areas people have successfully advocated for taxi owners to stop charging double fare for people in wheelchairs and therapists and parents alike have been able to quote Educations White Paper 6 back at the schools to enable children to access mainstream schooling, despite their difficulties.

So the question I pose to myself and others is this....Have we become complacent in advocating for the rights of these children and families or are we persevering through some difficult processes to ensure that more and more children in South Africa have access to the opportunities that every child deserves?

A hard hitting reality

2010-09-01T07:37:00.002+02:00

Over the past couple of months I have been busy with LETCEE's new website and this has meant that I have been looking through photographs of many of the families that we have been working with over the past two years. As I began to recognise the same children coming up in the photographs (with very happy faces I might add) I noticed that they are still wearing the same clothes (jackets and pants) two years down the line. The clothes have faded a little and they only reach half way down the children's arms and legs. Wow, it made me realize that though we have an ECI programme, maybe greater effort needs to be placed on family resources and sources of income generation so that these families can generate their own income to provide for basic needs such as clothing for their childen.

Making a difference in a different way...

2010-08-20T09:59:00.003+02:00

Last Friday I had the opportunity to attend a meeting looking to help inform the policy on Community Care Workers from the Children's Sector perspective. A small group of people from different areas of the sector spent the day looking at the draft policy, alternative models and a way forward in terms of addressing the issues that these crucial workers face. What a privilege to be a part of making a difference for these amazing people who consistently make a difference in the lives of many in the most rural communities without much recognition or compensation. I know these processes take a long time but I once again have some hope that we can make a difference in this way....we just need to persevere.

Small beginnings... great success

2010-08-13T11:11:00.003+02:00

This is Norah Ndumo. She came to visit LETCEE today to say thank you. Norah started her ECD training with LETCEE in 1996 and completed her Level 4 certificate. Today she proudly shows us her NPDE and Advanced Certificate in Education and is still continuuing her studies, completing her B. ED honours. She is a Grade 3 teacher at Cosh Primary School, and is on the commitee of the creche which she orignally started at.

She says it all started with LETCEE and wanted to come and thank us for the strong foundation we layed- without it- she would have never got this far. She says she still remembers what she learnt whilst training at LETCEE, and uses this in of her assignments- she still refers to her manual and notes.

LETCEE is incredibly proud to hear of Norah's achievements- what a wonderful surprise her visit was! Good news stories like these certainly make the work which we do WORTH IT!

Amazing women

2010-07-29T10:25:00.003+02:00

After meeting with the Family Facilitators of Eshane yesterday I was once again humbled by their dedication to the children they visit and the community from which they come. These women face many challenges in their work and home lives and often we just jump into work mode not stopping to listen to their challenges and difficulties. As these women shared their troubles with us and one another they emphatically stated that despite these challenges they love their work and would not want to change that for anything. It left me amazed at their resilience but also wondering how we can better support them and honour them for their dedication to other people, prefering others above themselves!

Developing people

2010-07-27T10:09:00.003+02:00

One of our core philosophies at LETCEE is to ensure that we are constantly assisting those we come in contact with to develop to their full potential be they children, caregivers, learners or staff members. It is exciting to watch people grow as they realize just how much they can do and achieve.

In the past week however I have once again had to reflect that growing people often means that they move on from LETCEE and the vital roles that they fulfilled here. This is truly bittersweet! On the one hand we get behind them, cheering them on and on the other we are very sad to see them go. This is the case with one of our committee members from Siyabathanda Abantwana who left last week to go and study nursing in Pietermaritzberg. We are so glad that her dreams are being fulfilled but we are aware of the huge gap she leaves behind. I guess her moving on opens up the opportunity for someone else to begin to reach for their dreams...

Positive feedback

2010-07-16T09:49:00.003+02:00

Another group of LETCEE Level 4 students have completed their modules of training and will soon hand in their portfolios of evidence for final assessment.
The feedback in the reflections after training were incredibly positive, here are exerts from 2 learners...

"This course teach me how to handle and develop a child. It also help me to get more knowledge how to plan my activities. Now I do not have any problem to stand in front of the children because I know what I'm going to do with my children. I know how to work and communicate with children and the parents and how important it is to involve the parents in the ECD Site. I will encourage the other practitioners in my site to come and get what I got in Level 4, and I'm going to implement my knowledge in my site." - Nompumelelo

"When I started Level 4, I was willing to go extra miles, gain more knowledge about this course and to know better about Early Childhood Development. Look at where I am today: I have knowledge about a lots of things I have not known before, I know about teamwork, how to be a good ECD teacher and to to apply my knowledge and better understanding to the learners. And this is not the end for my carrer, I still want to get more knowledge. This course has changed a lot of things in my life." -Hlengiwe

Something to smile about

2010-07-14T13:43:00.002+02:00

Yesterday I was at a meeting in Pietermaritzberg where the topic for discussion was "Supporting the Elderly Caregiver." Unbeknown to me a former LETCEE student (who graduated at the end of 2009) would be sharing about how she was working with and empowering Gogo's in her community. She explained that the creche's do not have toys and so she took it upon herself to show the Gogo's of the children in the creche how to make toys from waste. She had learnt this skill whilst studying at LETCEE. She also shared how the Gogo's have taught other Gogo's in the community as well as practitioners at other creches. It made me smile as I began to realize that we often do not even begin to understand the impact of what we do!

Buddies, here's what some other people had to say...

2010-07-08T10:47:00.003+02:00

I was amazed at the impression the the Buddies had on the leaders who ran the camp 2 weeks ago and thought i would share some of what they said, as it has been a huge encouragement for me.

"As these kids overcame every obstacle we put in their way, as they saw and took opportunities that never seemed, even to me, to be possible, and did it all in record timing, we strove to make everything harder. We blindfolded key players, tied kids feet together and used any other method we could think of to handy-cap these amazing young people.
All of them were friendly, polite, respectful, good listeners, and I was blown away at how obedient they all were, both boys and girls. If given the choice, I would rather this group on a camp then any other group of similarly aged people that I know." Jess Goodall

"They gave the impression that it doesn't matter what you throw at them, they will overcome it. They rose to every challenge. The leadership capabilities of many of the kids were easily seen. It was a really special bunch of kids that came through as intelligent, persevering and strong kids." Jason Tame

"For me as an immensely proud South African, it gave me great joy and even tears to see this generation that is more interested in the well being of the community than in personal gain or hate....For me as an Afrikaner it was also great sharing a bit of my culture, and experiencing theirs and it was on the talent night that I realised what Madiba was talking about when he said 'The Rainbow Nation.' Something like that is only possible through friendship and contact, and I believe that these kids have been primed to be that contact!They are truly starting to shake off the bonds of racism and prejudice and with constant mentorship as is provided through LETCEE, these ghosts of the past could disappear altogether." Rudi Ackerman

We took the Buddies on camp so they could learn and grow but i think they can be very proud of what they taught and gave to those leading the camp. Well done!!

Buddy Camp 2010

2010-06-29T09:47:00.006+02:00

Last week the Community Projects staff headed off to Busisa Family Adventure Camp in the Karkloof with 22 of our Buddies from Matimatolo and Mbuba for a week long camp. The Buddies had an absolutely amazing time and really astounded those running the camp with the way that they worked together. Even in very difficult situations they encouraged and built one another up rather than putting each other down which, according to the camp leaders, is what often happens when they run these sort of camps with teens. It really made me proud to be working with these kids and encouraged me as to how much the Buddy Programme is actually shaping the lives of these children and building resilience.

The reality of working and living in South Africa

2010-06-04T10:18:00.002+02:00

Just last week one of our Family Facilitators walked into my office to tell me that one of the children we work with had passed away the day before. He was a lively 13 year old boy who had a disability yet his difficulties never stopped him from engaging with others :) The news of his death really shook me as I asked myself, "Why, he was so young and full of life?"

This incident got me thinking that barely a week goes by where someone in the 270 families we work with or the Family Facilitators or Committee members families passes away. As much as I know that death is a natural part of life, it is the untimely loss of life that affects me. Again I am reminded how we need to equip our Family Facilitators, Committee Members and Students to enable them to deal with their own loss so they can help and support those they work with!

Students celebrate Soccer Friday

2010-06-04T10:17:00.002+02:00

In preparation for the world cup soccer events, LETCEE celebrated soccer friday by conducting an enrichment theme workshop with our level 4 students. They will now return to their pre-schools and do the ideas and activities with their children. The students learnt how to make vuvuzelas from recycled plastic bottles and how to use all the promotional adverts to make educational games and puzzles. They had lots of fun singing soccer songs and making their own makarabas.

National ECD Alliance Curriculum launch

2010-06-01T09:17:00.001+02:00

Gill, Iris and Charmayne at the National ECD Alliance Curriculum launch.

World Play Day 28th May 2010

2010-05-19T13:17:00.002+02:00

Friday the 28th of May 2010 is World Play Day. World Play Day was instituted by the International Toy Library Association in 1999 and has been celebrated in over 30 countries every year since then. This year, the theme is Creating a culture of play. Creating this culture includes giving children the time to play, understanding that children learn through play and that play is a crucial part of normal development. Adults are encouraged to provide safe spaces to play, take time to play with a child, and make sure that the whole family play together often. We should also make sure that traditional games are passed down to the new generation

Last week LETCEE put out an appeal to the schools and residents of Umvoti to help children play this World Play Day by donating educational toys to LETCEE, Sikhulakahle and Sibathanda Abantwana's Toy Libraries. Today we receive our first donation of puzzles, another reason to smile!

What's next for Mbuba Toy Library?

2010-05-19T13:12:00.002+02:00

Now that the container has arrived, LETCEE and the Sikhulakahle Committee are making plans for the next phase of the project. This involves laying a concrete slab in front of the Toy Library, building a ramp up into the library so that children with disabilities can also access the library, placing a roof over the top to provide shade, putting up shelves and painting the container. So much work....but the reward will be seeing how much joy and fun the children of the community get out of using the Toy Library.

Mbuba Toy Library begins to take shape...

2010-05-19T12:14:00.005+02:00

It was with much excitement today that we headed out to Mbuba to witness the delivery of the container that is to serve as the Sikhulakahle Toy Library. We met the truck about 15 kilometres outside of Greytown and led the driver to the Mbuba Community Hall where the Toy Library is to be situated. There was much curiosity as the truck was positioned and the container moved by crane onto the concrete stands that had been built for it. As I stood back and watched the children's excitement as to what was going on it made me realise once more what an impact this Toy Library can have on the Mbuba community. It made me smile...

Soccer Friday

2010-05-03T12:01:00.004+02:00

Getting ready for 2010 World Cup Soccer- we are learning the Diski Dance. What fun!

Laughter, sharing and fun: together as one :-)

2010-05-03T11:04:00.002+02:00

Friday afternoon was 'catch-up time' for the LETCEE team. We met over lunch, for a sandwich and story time. Everyone has been very busy and we've been traveling all over- across the province, the country- even overseas! It was a chance for everyone to share their experiences. With much laughter we heard many interesting stories of things which happened. Everyone really enjoyed the chance to hear what is happening within the organisation and just how much we have been stretching our wings.
Being so busy, it is so easy to miss out on these times together, and the opportunity to learn from others experiences, we hope that this will be the first of many get-togethers, so we can make sure we stay on the same page... and remain a close-knit family.

The team who went to Ingwavuma shared a fun game, which we all played. With much laughter and enjoyment it certainly meant leaving for the weekend on a high note...

The Dream is slowly becoming reality...

2010-04-23T09:16:00.009+02:00

In January this year LETCEE received the amazing news that the Toy Library for Mbuba had been fully funded and that we could now begin the process the Mbuba community has been dreaming about over the past 2 years!!

We got off to a slow start....meeting with the committee, obtaining permission to occupy land from the Inkosi and waiting for the committee to identify people in the community to do the building work.

Last week Bracken Timbers levelled the area for us, thanks Andrew :) and just yesterday the materials for the stands on which the Toy Library will be positioned, were delivered. Building starts on Monday!

136 Students trained last week!

2010-04-21T09:53:00.005+02:00

Last week (12-17 April) was an incredibly busy one for the LETCEE training team!
Not only did we have a module of Level 4 training happening at our centre in Greytown;
we also had 5 of our team venture off to Ingwavuma.
We were asked by Ingwavuma Orphan Care centre to conduct training for 110 Family Support Members.
Our team each trained a group of FST's in the basics of Early Childhood Development, covering topics like why we need Early Childhood Interventions, child development, children's rights, child management and learning through play . For some of the women, it was the first time they were receiving any form of training.

We recieved positive feedback...
What have you learnt that will be most useful in you work?
"All what I learnt will help me to improve the knowledge of those children" -Zodwa

"I have learnt about the rights of children and their needs. This is important. ... About abuse and to listen to the child if he or she wants to tell you something." -Thulile
What did you learn this week, that you will now change in the way you do your work?
"I change the way which I see the family, I will respect them. " -Goodness
"I will listen to their problems, be polite, giving them a smile."
"I have learnt a lot of things that will change in my work, listening to the kids and make sure of their rights." -David
Other comments?
"The course was good and our facilitator was easily approachable. I hope we will have another training." - Thabsile
"More training like this will be of great value to the FST's" -Hlengiwe
"Because LETCEE is an organisation that has strong programmes in social and community development, we ask you to come again to help us. We like to develop our communities."

A gentle reminder

2010-04-08T15:28:00.002+02:00

This sign appeared at a taxi stop in Matimatolo about a month and a half ago. We have asked various people but have yet to discover the story behind the sign.

On days like today where we headed out into the community for a workshop that we were really looking forward to, only to find that two people arrived and it had to be rescheduled.....this sign makes me smile and reminds me to leave the frustrations of the morning behind before driving back into the office and tackling the rest of the day.

I will continue to search for the story behind the sign and share it when I have found out...although the unknown is perhaps more intriguing than the actual story behind it all :O)

Taking things to a new level!

2010-04-08T12:23:00.002+02:00

This past week was an exciting one for the training team, we started our brand new Level 5 group. Venturing into something new has been a daunting but positive experience for all of us!

Training at Level 5 was not an intention to begin with- however having developed a good relationship with so many women who we have trained at Level 4- they came to us asking when and whether we would consider helping them develop further. We knew that we couldn't let them down!
We decided that we would pilot a small group of 15 for 2010 in order to try the new curriculum.
The opportunity has been filled with many learning experiences for all.
We have been attending training, in order to facilitate the curriculum. This has been a good reminder of what it's like in to be back in the classroom on the receiving end!
Offering this course has also given 2 of our fieldworkers the opportunity to join, so they can further develop themselves and get a higher qualification.

The ladies left module 1 feeling challenged, yet excited about whats to come. We are all interested and looking forward to continuing the journey.

When you hit the dirt road just stop and ask for directions...

2010-04-07T13:30:00.003+02:00

There have been many occasions whilst managing LETCEE's community projects where I have had to go out into various communities on my own to find a place I have never been to before. This is often a daunting task with a limited Zulu vocabulary, however I am always astounded at how the task is always completed.

Just this morning I had to drive out into a community I have not been to before to fetch a letter from the Inkosi's home. The directions I was given were: drive to Dalton...check, then take Fawn Leas road and drive until you hit the dirt road...check and then stop and ask someone how to get to the Inkosi's home...what?

However, yet again I stand amazed at the friendliness and helpfulness of a community who do not know myself or LETCEE. A lady who had been waiting for a meeting to start took me right to the Inkosi's house just to ensure I got there safely. These experiences always remind me to take a look around and see how I can help the people (friends or strangers) that I come in contact with everyday.

How long is long enough?

2010-03-17T09:24:00.002+02:00

Recently one of the caregivers in a family we have been working with since 2007 approached her Family Facilitator and LETCEE's Community Development Facilitator and thanked them for the input they have given her and her family over the past 2 1/2 years. She went on to tell them that she feels her family is able to care for themselves and believes that LETCEE should move on to help another family just like they have helped her.

WOW! What an encouragement!!! It is encounters like these that remind me why we push through many difficulties and continue to walk alongside families and communities as they rediscover hope and begin to run with the many resources they already have.

It's stories like this that make me smile...

The road lies that lies ahead...

2010-03-15T13:54:00.002+02:00

Last week I had the opportunity to drive some of our training team to Nquthu to do some visits and assessments for training which we have done in the area, for the Aids Foundation.
It was really good to be back in the field. Doing home visits instead of pre-schools and sites, reminded me of some different aspects of the work we do- particularly the poverty, extreme conditions which people live in and the incredible hunger for education.

Driving to one of the households, we picked up the Community Motivator to save her walking the +-8km to get to there. I asked her to direct me- which she did... until I came to a halt- not seeing a road in front of me, but rather long grass.

My question was "where to now" - her reply "just go straight"
I laughed- but realised she was serious.... she said she thought there was a road underneath the grass- but not many cars go on it.
Saying a little prayer and hoping that I wasn't about to put the work vehicle in jepordy, we slowly moved forward. Arriving at our destination- I realised that I had just been taught a great lesson, an analogy for our work in the ECD sector...

sometimes we have a desired outcome- but aren't sure how to get there. sometimes we need to step out in faith and 'make our own road' - it might be that we are going where few have gone before, or perhaps revisiting an old path... but if we don't try- we would never know. Perhaps, if we are daring enough to set a new path, others might follow.

It was wonderful to visit the various households and see home based ECD in action, and the difference it's already making in the children's lives. We have been priviledged to train the 15 Community Motivators, as the Aids foundation start a project based on our Siyabathanda Abantwana model which was researched, written up, and been given best practice status by UNICEF.

All you need is love...

2010-03-02T13:48:00.003+02:00

An experience today left me with the lyrics from the Beatles song, "All You Need is Love" echoing in my mind.

Today we had the privilege of taking one of our funders into the community to visit a family involved in the Sikhulakahle programme. When we were standing outside waiting for the mornings activities to begin, one of the children (he is almost 3 years old) came and stood next to me and grabbed a hold of my hand. He did not want to join the others this particular morning and climbed up onto my lap. Upon being asked whether he would like to play he simply said no and was quite happy to sit quietly. This little boy today just needed some love and attention.

This incident again reminded me of how important our Family Facilitators work is. Many of the children we work with do not live with their parents and their caregivers are burdened with caring for many children with minimal resources. The visit by the Family Facilitator provides these children with a couple of hours with an adult who sees the children as their main priority and provides them with love and care that they so desperately need.

One does not need unlimited resources, fancy toys or a lot of money to make a difference in another persons' life. Time, attention and a willingness to give of yourself to another...so, All You Need is Love.

Finding inspiration

2010-02-25T11:25:00.004+02:00

Sometimes when you're feeling disheartened; a little encouragement is all you need. Sometimes you find that bit of encouragement in the strangest of places...
Whilst sitting in a waiting room, paging through a jewelry catalogue I stumbled upon this quote:

"You never stand so tall as when you kneel to help a child."

What an awesome image and how true!

At LETCEE, all our work is about helping children is one way or another - sometimes it seems difficult, complicate or overwhelming...this quote came as a reminder and inspiration- we need to remember to stand tall, believing we are making a difference to the future!

What makes you smile??

2010-02-19T13:45:00.002+02:00

There has been some discussion in the LETCEE office as to what are the kinds of things that happen during the day or week that make one stop and smile and give a sense of, "This is why I do what I do!" Working in the education sector and in communities one often gets wrapped up in all the challenges and the 'next step', that one can become very disheartened amongst all the difficulties.

So this discussion has made me stop and ask, what has happened in the last couple of weeks that has made me smile? This reminds me of the well known story of the starfish by Loren Eisley where there is a boy on the beach who is throwing starfish back into the sea to save them. A man asks him why he is doing it because he will never be able to save them all. The boy replies, "No, but I can make a difference for this one....and this one." He says this as he continues to throw the starfish one by one back in to the sea.

Many days I feel like the man who thinks that the boys' actions are futile BUT when you can help one family access healthcare, education, documents and provide support and see how the family is transformed, then I feel like the boy who says, "No I can't save them all, but I can make a difference to this one."

So one of the things that makes me smile is to stop and think about the individual lives that I have had the privilege of being a part of and where we have been able to facilitate some kind of positive change. I am reminded once again that it is not only about the large scale impact or number of people we are reaching BUT about the sustainable changes that affect the quality of life of individuals and families.

Something to ponder

2010-02-19T13:31:00.003+02:00

As South Africa has just recently commerated 20 years since Nelson Mandela's release from prison and the huge changes that have occured in our country I began to reflect on what a privelege it is to be doing the work that I do. Just this week it struck me as I entered a home for a meeting how welcome I was in this home. I was there to observe and learn from a group of people very different to myself. I had nothing to offer except friendliness, respect, a smile and a willingness to learn. I began to realise that my generation and those who come after us are so privileged to be afforded these opportunities and how many of the older people who were severely affected by apartheid walk in a sense of forgiveness just as Mandela has done. We have plenty to learn from the elders in our communities, our own parents and grandparents and especially from those who have had a different life experience to the one that we have had.

Royal Treatment...

2009-12-18T15:28:00.004+02:00

Thanks to the generosity and kindness of Wiebke Ortmann, Deniesha Pillay and their colleagues at the Royal Hotel in Durban 36 children from Matimatolo set off in a bus to Durban for a Christmas Party held in their honour at the Royal Hotel. Some of these children have not left their community before and the bus was strangely quiet all the way down to Durban. Upon arrival at the Royal the children were greeted by the friendly staff and ushered up to the dining hall. Initially the children were very quiet and withdrawn, however by the time dessert came around they had lost their inhibitions and were chatting and laughing, in amongst two to three helpings of pudding. After lunch the children were presented with party packs and individual gifts. After saying our good byes we got back on the bus and the change in atmosphere was incredible. The children spoke animatedly about the party and many opened their gifts and took great joy in showing them to the others. I really was touched by the hearts of those at the hotel who were so keen to make a difference in the lives of these children and who definitely have left a lasting impression on each one of the children.

What an achievement...

2009-12-10T08:19:00.002+02:00

At the end of a long and busy year I was very encouraged to receive feedback from the Family Facilitators of the Sikhulakahle project in Mbuba that only 14 of the 120 families involved in the project still require documents such as Birth Certificates and Identity Documents. In a community where many families have not been able to access documents this is a great achievement and a massive improvement from when the project started. I have been so encouraged by this group of ladies who have tried their best to assist the families to access services that they previously thought were unavailable to them. In 2010 our hope is that we can assist these 14 families to access documents and thus ensure that 100% of the families in the Sikhulakahle project have the documents they need.

On the road again...

2009-11-23T11:17:00.005+02:00

The 9th of November saw me once again on the road and out of Greytown promoting LETCEE's work far and wide. I had the opportunity of attending the 4th International African ECD Conference in Dakar, Senegal from the 10th to 14th of November. Together with two of the researchers commissioned by UNICEF to study both LETCEE and Lesedi's models I presented a poster on the research at the conference. What amazed me is how many people from various countries in Africa are attempting to implement strategies with a similar ethos to LETCEE and Lesedi but again in each community the interventions play out in their own unique way. People were very keen to engage with us to see how we implement our approach because even though most people see working with community leaders as essential many had given up as they had encountered so many difficulties along the way. Personally, we had the awesome opportunity of visiting Goree Island situated just off the coast of Senegal. This island was one of the hubs of the slave trade in Africa and it was sobering to stand there and ponder what had gone on in that place. It confirmed for me that whatever we do in life and whatever programmes we attempt,it must be from a human rights approach where all people's rights are upheld and where one individuals rights do not infringe on the rights of others.

A dream for the children in Mbuba...

2009-11-18T11:26:00.000+02:00

We plan to create a toy library for the children in Mbuba. The project is listed on SASIX! Lets hold thumbs our dreams come true!
http://www.sasix.co.za/projects/view/VP-KZN-AUG09-0002/

A wonderful story

2009-11-18T08:44:00.000+02:00

A wonderful story of our work, written by Yvonne Duncan from Unicef
UNICEF: Child-tochild learning in rural South Africa safeguards the right to play

A long walk home

2009-11-06T10:00:00.006+02:00

This photo was taken by one of our visitors from UNICEF whilst visiting our projects in Matimatolo.

This picture really touched me... to imagine this little girl and her daily journey home after school up the very steep hill. It tells so much about commitment and eagerness to learn regardless of the tough circumstances.
For 5 years the school bus drove past the turn-off to this rural village to take me to school , and I didn't know what was beyond that point- that a mere few kilometres away there was such poverty. On many days we complained that our school bus was old and slow, and that we didn't feel like going to school, never did I consider that trip on the bus to be a priveledge - how much we took for granted!

The road is long...

2009-10-30T06:40:00.010+02:00

Working for a dynamic organization such as LETCEE one never quite knows where one will be from week to week and what new experiences or challenges will come your way. In November I have the privilege of representing both LETCEE and Lesedi Educare at the ECD Conference in Dakar, Senegal. I spent 2 days this week driving all over the Eastern Free State learning all about who Lesedi are and what they do. Lesedi haver a similar ethic to LETCEE focussing on building reltionships and working with communities and it was encouraging to learn more about what they do. Watch this space for further travels and a report back on the conference in Senegal.

In the news...

2009-10-28T09:42:00.000+02:00

The Independent in Ireland: Dustin -gets-a-spring-in-his-wing-1924953.html

Go on you good thing!

2009-10-27T10:27:00.000+02:00

Dustin wearing his new beaded LETCEE t-shirt.

UNICEF Visit

2009-10-27T10:14:00.000+02:00

LETCEE proudly showcased it's work to a wonderful team from UNICEF Ireland last week. They brought along a very special visitor - Dustin the Turkey. Dustin, a popular Irish TV personality came to find out about South Africa and in particular the work that LETCEE does. He visited some of the children in their homes in Matimatolo, together with the Siyabathanda Abantwana Family Facilitators and encouraged all the buddies, he also spoke to the LETCEE students. He brought great joy and laughter to all he spoke to.

A happy graduation day

2009-10-27T08:37:00.004+02:00

Friday the 16th October was a big day for more than 100 LETCEE students, who graduated with an NQF Level 1 or Level 4 Certificate in Early Childhood Development. All of these ladies were involved in the EPWP Department of Education Learnership, which LETCEE did the training for.
It was encouraging to see the big smiles on their faces and to hear the jubilation from their supportive families, as they finally recieved the certificate which they have worked so hard for.

Over and above the call of duty

2009-10-20T21:20:00.004+02:00

In a day and age when it is rare to see people go way beyond the call of duty it is inspiring to know that many of our Family Facilitators (volunteers) continue with their work visiting children in their homes despite being tired and sick or having to deal with their own crises at home. Just last week I was utterly amazed when I went out into the community to pick up one of the Facilitators with 10 of her children and take them to the playground that has been built in the community. Their homes are a fair distance from the playground and they do not get to go there regularly.When I arrived the Facilitator was waiting with the children, all ready to go. I asked her how she was doing she told me she had been up sick all night and was very weak. When asked why she did not phone and cancel the arrangements her response was, " But I had already made the arrangement with the children and I didn't want to disappoint them, they are so excited to go to the playground." When we arrived at the playground I watched her with the children and her interactions with the children were no different from any other day. It is this selflessness that gives me hope and inspires me to give my all no matter what the circumstances around me may be.

Making Music

2009-10-14T12:00:00.005+02:00

Learner's practise using their musical instruments
which they have learnt to make using recycled waste this week.
Bottle tops, beans and stones can make amazing shakers and tamborines.

Growing People

2009-10-13T08:48:00.002+02:00

LETCEE has alway believed in "growing people", and our staff are a wonderful example.
Today, Iris Mzila, a senior trainer, proudly presented her matric certificate to us. She achieved this through self study, while continuing her demanding training load, caring for her 3 children and serving her community. Iris started work at LETCEE in 1993 as a domestic worker. Over the years, her passion for children and commitment to creating a better world for the little ones, has been her driving force. She has completed various courses and taken every opportunity to learn. She has a Level 5 certificate, is a registered assessor, an ABET facilitator and will shortly get her driver's licence. Iris is an inspirational trainer, a caring, creative teacher and a role model for women.

5 other staff members are also studying. Whether studying for matric or completing a master's degree, they have earned our respect and our congratulations. Their understanding of the commitment needed to study contributes to the quality of LETCEE's training.

2009-10-12T13:08:00.003+02:00

"One generation plants the trees- another gets the shade"
-Chinese Proverb-

2009-10-08T15:14:00.002+02:00

Our mission is to empower and encourage adults to create nurturing environments for children.

We do this by providing accredited training to ECD teachers and by supporting volunteers who visit children in their homes to facilitate learning through play. We all need to do our bit for children - the vast majority of young South Africans still have no access to Early Education.

The LETCEE Blog

2009-10-08T13:35:00.001+02:00

BLOG

We've heard about them, asked what they were, read a few... and now have decided to get our own! So here's the LETCEE blog- a place where we hope to share our thoughts, experiences and feelings about the work we're doing.
LET'S SEE LETCEE :-)

2009-10-08T13:15:00.001+02:00