Johannesburg - Newly crowned Miss South Africa Ndavi Nokeri has visited the Western Cape for the first time since winning the coveted crown last month.
Nokeri touched down in the Cape on Thursday as Sun International’s GrandWest donated more than R1m to four early childhood development and special needs centres in the province.
The centres include Breadline Africa and its beneficiaries, the Little Angels Educare in Wallacedene, WaterSprites Nursery School in Kensington, Autism Connect Learning Centre in Strandfontein, and Friends Daycare Centre in Maitland.
Mervyn Naidoo, GrandWest’s general manager, said it was important to invest in children at an early age.
“To have a country of capable and responsible future citizens, the private sector has to get involved. The centres we have selected all strive to nurture and develop the social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs of the young children in their care.
“Unfortunately, like many child centres, they often lack the resources and infrastructure needed for the task. We are immensely proud of the difference we are making for youngsters at these centres,” said Naidoo.
GrandWest has partnered with Breadline Africa, who subsequently identified Little Angels Educare Centre and other centres as beneficiaries of the donation.
The Little Angels Educare Centre has 110 learners in wooden and corrugated-iron structures.
The centre received more than R500 000 of the donation, and two 6m containers were procured to provide a spacious area for the young learners to play and sleep in.
A similar structure would provide a classroom for the children to study in.
Included in the upgrade was a 6m container ablution block with six cubicles, a 6m container space for staff to use as a kitchen and office, and a jungle gym for the children to play on.
Meanwhile, the WaterSprites Nursery School in Kensington, which was founded more than 40 years ago, has 87 learners.
It received a kitchen renovation and bathroom upgrade worth R153 000.
Educational material and resources were also provided to two special needs centres in Cape Town so that they could create a more supportive environment for the adults and children who attend them daily.
“There are many hardships to living with a disability, so we wanted to do what we could to help these children – and adults – to thrive and to live as independently as possible,” Naidoo said.