East London - Social Development MECs from around the country got the opportunity to see three successful projects in the Eastern Cape while on a visit to the province.
The MECs braved the windy weather to visit the Imizamo Yethu Daycare Centre in Mdantsane, Ilitha farming project outside King Williamstown and Qingqa Mntwana Disposable Products project in Keiskammahoek.
Northern Cape MEC Alvin Botes was particularly impressed with the Ilitha project.
"I think there is good work being done in the Eastern Cape. I am encouraged to see this group of women sustaining themselves and will suggest to MEC Pemmy Majodina that she allocate more money to the project," said Botes.
Botes added that he would be sending people from his province to see how the farming project is run so that they establish similar projects.
"In our province we had a number of projects like this that failed. I will be taking back a few lessons I have learned about projects to my province," said Botes.
The Ilitha project was established in 2003 by six unemployed youths and four pensioners to try and alleviate poverty and fight crime in the area.
Project spokesperson Lindiwe Nxumalo said the project is doing so well now that they even have a surplus of nearly R70 000 in their bank account.
"We are very grateful for what the department does for us. We really appreciate their visit and hope they see what we have done with the money they allocated to our project," said Nxumalo.
The MECs also visited Imizamo Yethu Day Care Centre in Mdantsane, one of the first day care centres in the province that conformed to the department's standards.
"We are glad that the department has seen what we do here and nominated us as a centre of excellence. We faced many challenges in the past, yet managed with their assistance to overcome these obstacles," said centre manager Ruth Faku.
The centre operates differently from most centres in that it uses pensioners from the neighbourhood to help with the children and to generate funds.
Faku said the pensioners approached the centre with the idea because they needed something to do with their time.
The pensioners not only sew aprons and pillow cases, which are sold to the community, but also get involved in looking after the children.
"We fund a programme of intergeneration where the older generation teach the children about our heritage and read them stories," said NU11 social development office manager, Linda Jack.
She said this initiative forms part of the department's early childhood development programme that facilitates and provides learning and support appropriate for a child's development.
