The Pine Valley area saw significant residential growth in 2009, with approximately 530 new RDP houses and ongoing expansions. This created an increasing demand for safe childcare services, especially since Pine Valley is far from the town’s schools and lacks pre-school classes for Xhosa-speaking children. Malikhanye Daycare Centre addresses this need, offering instruction in both Afrikaans and Xhosa.
The original three-room building in Pine Valley had fallen into neglect, with its registration expired, leaving the crèche nonfunctional. In 2009, community members, the Department of Social Development, and the remaining management of the previous facility approached Badisa to revive the daycare centre. By January 2010, the centre reopened under the name Malikhanye Daycare Centre.
Starting with 39 preschoolers, the centre’s enrollment has grown so much that two temporary structures were erected in the past six years to accommodate 79 children. The new structures can now serve 120 preschoolers. The Dutch Reformed Church recognised the need for school readiness programs for Xhosa-speaking preschoolers, and local residents of Breërivier Valley and Wolseley helped construct a temporary building to accommodate more toddlers. The “Speke-sing-vir-Jesus” project raised enough funds in 2012 to erect and prepare this building for an additional classroom. Subsequently, the Hope and Reconciliation Trust provided funds for a second temporary classroom structure.
In 2016, Malikhanye received a grant from Lotto to build a new facility. Despite many challenges, the construction was completed in 2019. The Witzenberg Municipality provided the plot, and the new buildings were finished in November 2019. The inauguration took place on 29 November 2019, with the entire community, including children, staff, parents, and residents, expressing their gratitude and pride in the beautiful new facility.
