The Eskom Development Foundation has helped improve conditions at the Amukelani pre-school in Thulamahashe, Mpumalanga. Last month, the Foundation completed renovations and donated furniture to help make the nursery safer and more habitable for its children. The children, who are aged from 0 – 4 years of age, are mostly victims of malnutrition as many of their parents are unemployed with some as a result of teenage pregnancies.
The pre-school was established in 1993 to give assistance to the community by providing a decent place for their children’s early development. The children are always under their caregivers’ supervision in and outside the building. The facility has a security fence and the gate is kept locked at all times. They also have some important safety equipment such as a first aid kit and fire extinguishers.
The ceiling of their baby room was damaged due to a heavy storm and they were not able to use it for a while. They also didn’t have sufficient storage for all their early childhood development (ECD) equipment. Eskom came to their assistance by renovating the baby room as well as installing a cupboard for the storage of their educational materials.
The donation, which has left the children and caregivers at Amukelani a better environment, is part of Eskom’s commitment to bringing about meaningful and sustainable development to communities in South Africa. Eskom supports the continued efforts to improve our country’s education system and endeavours to create an environment that is conducive to teaching and learning in schools.
Eskom Development Foundation’s acting Chief Executive Officer, Cecil Ramonotsi, says they want to make a difference in communities and show that Eskom is more than just about keeping the lights on. “We do this to improve the quality of life for ordinary South Africans and to reinforce our support for the country’s education system, particularly from ECD stage. Our aim is to bring about positive change and growth in communities and to assist in making schools and learning environments more conducive for children and their development,” says Ramonotsi.
