No funding for ECD centers in the village leads to food poising

Moseamedi Molin

Mosamedi Molin
Mogabane village
Fetakgomo Tubatse Municipality
Sekhukhune District
Limpopo Province
13 September 2024
No funding for ECD centers in the village leads to food poising
Children are suffering so much at Mphela creche at Mogabane village as they lack proper
food. On the 10th there was a parent’s meeting where the issue of children’s malnutrition was
discussed. The parents indicated that their children are eating unclean food because when they
come from school they come home vomiting while others have sores or blisters on their bodies.
The teacher said that they are also very sad and struggling with the food issue because they
are not funded by anyone the money that parents pay for their children is not enough, one child
pays R150 a month so they cannot buy enough food for the children.
One of the parents indicated that they could add R50 but still, that amount is not enough for
more than 15 children to spend on monthly groceries. The teacher indicated that they have tried
to apply in different places like Sassa, to the social workers, Social development as well as the
Bokoni mine to at least help them with food but no one has answered.
What happened was that the Bokoni mine just brought the children only toys, chairs, tables,
and money which was about R10 000. The teachers thought it best to build one class for the
children as they were using a shark as a class. They decided to build that 1 class so that they
could also use the shark as their kitchen, as they were cooking outside using fire.
The teachers said they have been trying to ask for funds for a long time but they have not
succeeded. They promised the parents that they would try their best to get involved and ask for
funds so that they were able to feed those children. They said that they would go back to the
mine to ask if there was any progress if not they would ask again.
Parents said a handful indicated that it’s either their children who are fed uncooked food or
unclean food because when they get home the children are burnt and some have thick sores
and it takes time to heal.
One of the parents pointed out that every time the child comes home from school they ask him
what he ate and he says soup, that is one of the things that makes the children sick because
they always take them to other schools even if they are far away because they cannot afford to
take the children to the clinic.

Parents said they were hoping and trusting that their children are getting proper care as they are
paying the monthly fees set by the principal I wanted to ask the parents to at least give out R200
to buy enough food for the children as they could not find funds anywhere, the parents refused
saying they think R200 is too much.
Today as parents see that their children are sick every day they agree to the issue of
R200 and it is two months because in November they close. The principals told the parents that
it is very hard for them to feed more than 15 children with the money they pay monthly because
it is not enough and they don’t get any funds.
We are the mining community and the mine fails us to put important things like this on their
Social and labor plans since parents don’t have jobs creches need to be funded more
especially those in the mining communities. The principal made it clear that the money
parents pay isn’t enough to buy proper meals for the kids.
Parents and school principals need to approach me to get help.