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Centre Manager Thembumelusi educare centre

My name is Eden Mabila, a centre manager at Thembumelusi educare centre at Magudu, Nkomazi Mpumalanga. I have worked for Thembumelusi educare centre for six years, since 13 august 2014. Before I heard of Ntataise Lowveld I worked for two years at the centre having no knowledge of ECD or working with children, all I did was to play with children, provide them with nutritious food. One day I heard about Ntataise Lowveld Trust, an organisation which train ECD Practitioners and I had to go and get information. The staff was so friendly and professional that they made me interested in joining and do the ECD courses with them. This was the beginning of a change in my life, I enrolled for the Level 1 course and i got the basic knowledge in ECD in the year 2014. In 2015 I was fortunate to be part of the practitioners who were sponsored by Standard Bank South Africa to study for my NQF level 4 in ECD. I was exposed to a broader platform of information which assisted me with my carrier. From there I became a principal at Thembumelusi educare, and I have been able to run the centre since then up to now. With all the support, knowledge and information I got from Ntataise Lowveld programmes such as enrichment, toy and book. I am able to manage a successful ECD centre. We have a lot of improvised toys (which we make ourselves all thanks to Ntataise Lowveld’s Enrichment Programme), well displayed classrooms with age appropriate early learning developmental areas clearly visible and easily accessible by young children in my class. My office is well organized, warm and friendly. My centre is well enriched and I myself am proud of how far I have come. I have entered competitions such as the NDA awards in 2015 and I won best practitioner,and also one of my practitioner won best practitioner in 2018 on the same NDA awards. I am able to get donations and support from other entities through the information I have gained from Ntataise Lowveld. I monitor the classrooms and engage with my practitioners as well as the community to keep up with high standard of performance in the centre. Parents appreciate the job well done in the centre, as they see the difference development in their children lives. Our children are recognised as the best in the foundation phase in the area. I thank Ntataise Lowveld for all they have done in equipping me with the kind of information I have gained. I am now a qualified practitioner and proud holder of my ECD NQF Level 4 certificate which I received at my graduation in 2016.

My name is Sybil Mthethwa, I am 41 years old, and I come from a small village called Mgobodzi in Nkomazi Mpumalanga. I am a single parent of 6 children, I grew up with love and passion for children, and that is why I say my children are a blessing from God. I was able to raise my children with the help from my elder sister who was employed as a nurse. One day it came to my mind that although I am unemployed, I can still follow my dream which is teaching. It makes me feel nostalgic today to write about something that I love and admire, which is nurturing children It all started in 2009 when my mother was working at Thuthuka educare centre in Mgobodzi, she asked the principal to employ me as a practitioner because she knew I was capable of doing the job. I was employed as a practitioner at the centre in 2009 with no skill or knowledge in working with children. Being able to interact with children was a privilege and honour for me. The principal persuaded me to attend the Ntataise Lowveld workshops in 2010, which led me to doing the ECD NQF Level 4 in 2012. Sadly my joy was short lived when I lost my mother the same year. The loss of my mother made me to be too frail to be effective as a learner. A few months I remembered that I promised my mother I will always do my best and indeed I was exceptional during the training. I was determined to achieve my goal. After completing the NQF Level 4, fate stepped in and for a change it was my favour as I was called to work at Ntataise Lowveld as an office assistant. After that I realised that dreams delayed are not dreams denied. My joy was boundless, and I used the exceptional qualities in me which led me to be employed as an enrichment assistant trainer in the enrichment programme. I stepped in confidently and thought of achieving my goals. Over the initial year of intense training I made good results and ironically in 2017 I was given a job as an assistant trainer for the NQF Level 4. It was vital that now I had grown even more love and more passion for the field of ECD. I have achieved goals and overcame challenges. I am now grateful that I am doing my job to the best of my ability, as I am a dedicated person doing my job whole heartedly. Through a lot of dedication, commitment and discipline, I was fortunate to graduate in 2019 and receive my much anticipated ECD NQF Level 4 certificate. Ntataise Lowveld gave me the opportunity to further my education and I have since successfully completed my ECD NQF Level 5 qualification. I am in the process of registering to be a registered ECD Assessor. It was a great honour for me to be appointed acting senior trainer for 6 months in 2019; holding the fort for my colleagues; a job I did with sterling results.

My name is Nompumelelo Nkosi. I live at Newskom trust. In 2007 I joined Ntataise Lowveld and Ntataise Lowveld trained and helped me gain more knowledge about child development as well as equipping me with skills that help me holistically develop young children in my care.

Before I joined Ntataise Lowveld Trust I was a domestic worker. Ntataise Lowveld taught me how to stimulate young children according to their different ages as well as being mindful of their social wellbeing. I even learn to love and accept the children with disabilities.

I am so grateful today because I gained more experience and knowledge, I know how to deal with slow learning children and love and play with them. Ntataise Lowveld taught me how to lay out the classroom as well as out door activities.

I learn how to make a daily plan as well as a year plan to include all themes. I know how to draw up a healthy menu which guides us when we cook meals at my ECD centre. I am sensitive to and respect children’s different cultures and believes. Thanks to Ntataise Lowveld, Silindile Pre-school has been transformed to a beautiful, functional and stimulating environment.

I am so proud to work with children and the community. When I started working at Silindile Pre-school, my friend joined me and we worked wonderfully together. When she passed away, I thought this beautiful ECD centre we have started was over, I thought I could not do it on my own. Thank God I am still pushing on. I love my work and am passionate about stimulating young children, giving them knowledge and love.

I don't give up even though I have the small number of children now. I love my job, I even enjoy the activities, especially music movements, the more we move is the more their small mind, large & small muscles develop and their language when we sing and dance.

Once again I am very grateful for who I am because of Ntataise Lowveld. I am a Silindile ECD Practitioner.

yours Faithfull
Nompumelelo Nkosi

My name is May Bathabile Mhlongo Hlatshwayo. Langeloop. I was raised by my parents Maria Lubisi and Aaron Mhlongo. I have 7 siblings, 2 brothers and 5 sisters. Being the first born, I had to take care of my siblings when both my parents died.

I attended Lomatidraai Primary School and proceeded to Lovunwa High School where I completed my matric.

By the Grace of my Redeemer, I got married to Johan Hlatswayo and we are blessed with 4 children, 2 sons and 2 daughters.

In 2002 I was a stay at home mother. One day I heard that Ntataise Lowveld was training ECD practitioners at Mzinti Training Centre; this was a learnership from ETDP Seta. Though I wanted to enrol, the learnership was only for 25 ECD practitioners, which meant that I could not register. I decided to volunteer at Matsafeni Pre-Primary School to fulfil my passion of working with young children. Though I had been declined enrolment, I went to the same training centre as I had faith that I will be allowed entry into the programme. Lo! And behold! On the first day of training the facilitator asked a volunteer to lead us in prayer. I jumped to the occasion, led the national anthem and finished with prayer. The facilitator was amazed by the amount of faith and spirit I had that she ended up enrolling an extra person (me) making her group a total of 26. The training course was very intense, most of my peers dropped out but I soldiered on. As a result of my dedication and commitment to my work, my Port Folio of Evidence was submitted for ETDP Seta’s External Moderation and my group was declared competent. From there I was nominated to be a Grade R practitioner by the curriculum implementer from the Department of Education; a job I executed with all my passion for 5 years.

Early 2008; Ntataise Lowveld trainers were conducting support visits at Matsafeni school, and they told me of a vacancy for a trainer. They encouraged me to apply and I did. Needless to say, 12 years later I am a proud staff member of this innovative and dynamic Resource and Training Organization.

As Ntataise Lowveld staff member, I worked my way up. I started as a facilitator with an NQF Level 4. I furthered my education and obtained a Diploma in ECD. Today I am a registered ECD assessor and Moderator. The organization has since appointed me an ECD Training Manager.

Ntataise Lowveld took me from nowhere and placed me in a position where I received so much recognition. Today, I am a well -known respected ECD advocate and guru in the Lowveld of Mpumalanga. I am appreciated and acknowledged by many ECD practitioners whom I have encouraged and mentored towards attaining their NQF Level 4 ECD qualification. Some of them are high profile individuals in government.

Ntataise Lowveld truly started from humble beginnings. Back then, Ntataise Lowveld had no office and all administration was done from home and meetings held at the founder Mrs Solomon’s Croc Valley residence. We have come a long way; today, our operation area includes rural Nkomazi, Mbombela and Bushbuck Ridge. We now boast a variety of ECD programme such as: Play groups, Skills Development Training, Toy and Book Programme, Enrichment Programme, Parenting Programme and Home Reading Programme. Ntataise Lowveld has created a lot of job opportunities for our people in the communities as well as exposing our ECD practitioners to best current practises in ECD while holistically stimulating young children in their care.

Before I retire, I want to give Ntataise Lowveld, an organization which gave so me so many opportunities for growth, my best. I am currently grooming young facilitators so that they too can be the best ECD facilitators the country has seen. I continue to preach the gospel of ECD to our less privileged communities.

I have come full circle. I was a student and now I am an ECD training manager at the very same organization where it all started.

It all thanks to Ntataise Lowveld.

My name is Nompumelelo Maluka. I have four children, 2 boys and 2 girls. I live at Luphisa trust. Before I got to know and interact with Ntataise Lowveld, I made a living selling second- hand clothes. Though I had no knowledge nor expertise at all on Early Childhood Development programme, I operated an informal creche from my home.

One day while listening to Ligwalagwala FM radio station, I heard one of Ntataise Lowveld representatives promoting and sharing the wonderful work that the organization is doing in our communities in as far as ECD programmes are concerned. What captured my attention on the day was the elaborate explanation regarding their training programmes as I had no formal training on ECD.

I approached the Ntataise Lowveld facilitators and enrolled for their monthly workshops and later successfully completed my ECD NQF Level 4 qualification.

I am now employed by the government at Lepesi Primary School as a Grade R teacher.

I would like to say a big thank you to Ntataise Lowveld for changing my life for the better. I am now a proud ECD practitioner that contributes to this country of ours.

Thank you !!!