After a devastating storm tore the roof off Tesselaarsdal’s only preschool, the community witnessed the loss of a once lively space filled with children’s voices and joy. For a time, no structured early childhood development took place in the small town. Children played outside, without educational stimulation or a safe learning environment.
However, in the midst of this loss, a group of women decided to make a difference.
A community comes together
Natalie Eksteen, a social auxiliary worker at Badisa Caledon, visited Tesselaarsdal as part of the organisation’s service plan, aiming to recruit women for training as reading mothers and day mothers. “At the time, I didn’t have a formal early childhood development centre to work with, but I found community members with a love for children,” she explains.
With the help of volunteers, nine women were trained as reading mothers in August 2024 by Badisa’s Little Seeds Early Childhood Development (ECD) Unit. By November, six of them had received further training as day mothers, a step closer to a sustainable solution for the children of Tesselaarsdal.
Challenges and solutions
Despite their dedication, the day mothers still lacked a permanent space to work together. However, the community stepped up, and the local elderly group offered their hall as a temporary facility until municipal approval for a permanent location could be secured. “The day mothers feel it’s better to work together with the children rather than doing it alone,” says Natalie.
A milestone celebration
Natalie recalls the impact this project had on a shy and withdrawn little boy in the community.
“At the start of 2024, he was barely noticeable in the group and his words were few, and his confidence was low. But as the months went by, he started to blossom. In fact, he was the one who came up with the idea for a ‘diploma’ ceremony at the end of the year—a symbolic celebration of the progress the children had made.”
On 4 December 2024, the first group of children received their ‘diplomas,’ and in January 2025, that once-timid little boy confidently started his first day at a big school.
Plans for the future
The work of Tesselaarsdal’s day mothers is far from over. Parent guidance programmes are currently being offered to empower parents and strengthen the link between home, community, and school. The ultimate dream is a permanent early childhood development centre, with even more parents actively involved in their children’s educational journey.
Message for day mothers
For any day mother who sometimes wonders if her hard work is making a difference, Natalie has a simple but powerful message: “We all get tired, and it’s normal to feel that way. But there is always a child looking up to you. Never forget that you are laying the foundation for their future.”
How you can help
You can make a difference by donating recyclable materials such as plastic bottles, toilet rolls, paint, cardboard, and educational toys. Contact Badisa Caledon at 028 212 1605 or send an email to hulpmaatskap@gmail.com for more information.
Little Seeds is an Early Childhood Development (ECD) unit that integrates programmes and services from Diaconia and Badisa. Their interventions not only create awareness about early childhood development but also expand access to early learning through home- and community-based programmes and projects, as well as daycare and aftercare centres.
WMnR
WMnR