News from the Mission
Grand Opening of Noluthando Educare Centre
U.S. Ambassador’s Self-Help Fund covers costs, community contributes labor
September 18, 2007
Despite the typical cold, damp Cape winter weather Saturday, August 11, the mood at the new educare centre in Khayelitsha was decidedly sunny. After years of making do with some small rooms in private homes, a shack and a container, the 149 children of Noluthando Educare Centre finally have a proper place to learn and play.
In a solid, block building with a good quality roof, they have 2 classrooms, at large play area, 3 toilets, a kitchen and an office/ sick room. In the place of the narrow dirt path to the potties and street, they now have a huge fenced yard with playground equipment. This miracle was wrought by the alchemy of Gladys Tico, the community of Town 2, Khayelitsha, and the Ambassador’s Self-Help program.
The entire building was paid for by the Ambassador’s Self-Help grant, with the community contributing all of the labor. None of it would have happened without Gladys’s tireless work meeting our requirements, getting quotations, arranging deliveries, and even sleeping with her bricks to guard them until construction could begin.
Saturday’s celebration was appropriately spirited. US Counsel General, Helen La Lime, Self-Help Coordinator, Shirah Daves-Brody and their daughters, Adriana and Thea, FSN Investigator, JP Strydom, drivers Adrick Abrahams and Chris Phanyaza and special guests from the United States were there to celebrate with the children from the creche, their families and teachers, and many others.
Local government officials were there making speeches, and a minister and his wife from the Eastern Cape came to bless the Centre and lead the crowd in joyous hymns. All the speakers were generous in their recognition of the contribution from the Consulate.
There was lots of singing, some dancing, a few more hymns -then Helen La Lime cut the ribbon and led us all inside for the Grand Inspection. Then “Lunch, lunch, Lunch!” A good time was had by all and those of us from the Consulate were gratified to see our tax dollars put to such good use.