Durban — Nomusa Shabane, who founded the Imbali Yethu daycare centre at Inanda Ward 44, said she thanked God every day for people who were always willing to lend a hand.
This is after the Daily News Milk Fund visited the centre on Thursday and donated a fridge, mattresses, blankets, milk, porridge, juice and food. Shabane, who started her centre in 1995 because of the love that she has for children, said she felt blessed.
“I wish to praise God more because of everything he has done,” she said.
The daycare centre looks after 148 children from 3 months to five years old. She said she grew up babysitting children around the area. She once worked in day-care for 12 years and realised that there were no such facilities in her community.
“When I started my crèche it was at home and in 1998 I was assisted by a company called Otis, who built eight rooms at the back of my home because we were looking after a lot of children,” Shabane said.
From then, she worked with a Grade R teacher and went to the community for assistance so that she could get a site, which is where the Imbali Yethu daycare centre is today.
“When I got the site I went out to look for help. Operation Jumpstart was kind enough to build us the centre for free,” she said.
She said the Grade R teachers who were employed at the daycare were now teachers in high school and in a primary school. Shabane said she was proud of how far they had come and she was happy that she was making a positive impact in the community.
“The children that are here today are like my grandchildren because their parents used to come here when they were young,” she said.
Shabane said she was grateful for the help and donations that she received from the milk fund. Shabane said she also had aftercare facilities, as some children left as late as 7pm. She also opened up the Khayalethu old age centre for women.
She also looks after orphans - some attending universities, while others were working.
“I also assist children in the community,” she said.
Shabane said she was planning to extend the Imbali Yethu daycare centre as they were looking after many children.
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