Local Rotary donates to childcare centre This gesture to the primary school in KwaZulu-Natal allows 30 children to stay at the creche for 11 months.

Through the Hilton and Howick Rotary Club of South Africa, District 9370, the East Cooper Breakfast Rotary Club donated $2,600 to Never NeverLand Creche.

The donation to the primary school in KwaZulu-Natal allows 30 children to stay at the creche for 11 months.

Now in existence for over 15 years, Never NeverLand Creche, Cedara is run by Zandile Khoza.

The creche draws children from two poverty struck villages in the district of Cedara, Kwa-Zulu Natal. These villages consist of 86 rudimentary concrete brick houses and shacks, the inhabitants of which are mainly agricultural farm workers struggling to find work.

The creche provides services such as baby and child care and teaching for older children. The South African Government does not supply funds to creche or nursery schools.

There are 65 children at the creche school currently, and they range in age from 18 months to 6 years old.

There is a set fee of 150 South African Rand per month, but only 15 per cent of the parents can afford it. In some cases, children cannot attend because their parents are deceased, and they are living with their grandmothers.

For some time, the balance was provided by “Support a Child” system set up by a local church, but that is no longer running. The money paid for the running of the creche, a small stipend for Zandile, another teacher, a cook and a gardener.

So the Rotary Club of Hilton and Howick took up the task of finding the money to support the program.

They appealed the East Cooper Rotary Breakfast Club to raise money to continue sending these children to the creche.