Buthokuhle Early Learning Center

Today I went with Barbara [affectionally called "Auntie Barbs" by everyone] to the Early Learning Center [ELC] in Slangspruit, where I did my first round of home visits exactly a week ago with Jilleth. ELCs are like pre-schools in townships, serving children around the ages of 3 months to about 6 years. Many of the children are OVCs, even in households that are under Thandanani's care, and do not need to pay to go the ELC-- other children only pay R50 a month... that is around $7.50.

I will admit, the ELC wasn't I was expecting. Despite all that I had seen in the townships, I still somehow imagined that the ELCs would be similar to the daycare centers that I frequented when I was younger. I walked up to a broken gate, barely attached to the barb wire fencing surrounding the premises, and saw a diesel truck trailer brightly painted with animals and plants. On the other side in the shade there were babies sleeping on worn mats on the ground. Inside the "container," there were some tables, a chalkboard, shelves, and hooks for the backpacks. Wow, I thought, this is so small. Then I saw a run down mud building next to it, the room only having 3 walls. Auntie Babs explained to me that this used to be the school, but they could not keep the rain out. Now it is a kitchen/play area for the kids. I looked back at the container-- Wow, I thought, whoever thought to bring these portable classrooms out to the townships is a genius! This is amazing! What a blessing. I guess all it takes is some perspective.

We went in and the kids sat quietly at their tables. We gave them all brand new toothbrushes, and Auntie Babs taught them about oral hygiene and even the oral manifestations of HIV/AIDS... a sad but very necessary thing to teach to children. Auntie Babs is very good with kids. They looked at pictures of people who did not take care of their teeth and made the cutest, most disguisted faces when they saw all photos, and promised to eat their vegetables and brush their teeth after.

I could not help but to take tons of pictures of these kids-- no matter the location or the sitaution of children, they are just so darn cute. They, like everyone else when I go into the townships, were very curious about me and my lighter skin, but didn't mind it [except for a baby that cried every time she saw me]-- it just made them want to be around me more. We left during lunch, when everyone was outside eating their bowls of rice. Thandanani runs the ELCs to ensure that children, even those who cannot pay, have the opportunity to learn something and go to school-- maybe even the parents will have an opportunity to go to work if the children are not home. It also ensures that they get at least one meal in their bodies for the day. As a daycare kid myself, I can see how this is such an important resource to have and I am really looking forward to spending more time helping out with these efforts. I get to go to another ELC on Thursday! Look below at the slideshow for all the pictures I took while at the Buthokuhle ELC ["buthokuhle" = bringing all the good things together].