From stay-home mom to pre-school founder

THE first 1 000 days of a baby’s life are crucial for their development, beginning in the womb, says Martha Makhura, 58, the founder of Lehlohonolo Pre-School in Gugulethu.

Set in the centre of Europe informal settlement, Lehlohonolo Pre-School has helped thousands of children since its inception in 2014.

Makhura said she went through many difficulties before she could open the centre but the patience of the community and the help of several donors has been central to the development of the early childhood development (ECD) centre.

Originally from Soweto, Makhura moved from Thokoza, Gauteng, to Cape Town in 1985 after her husband got a job in the Western Cape.

When they arrived, she was a housewife with three children but realised she needed to do something when her kids were at school.

Only able to speak seSotho at the time, she quickly began to learn isiXhosa, and would later assist a teacher at Lehlohonolo Primary School, which one of her children attended.

In the late 1990s Makhura joined numerous voluntary projects from Grassroots to Ikamva Labantu around the community, educating parents about starting healthy habits for children at an early age.

She later graduated with a diploma in ECD.

In Europe (Gugulethu), there was a large abandoned shack, and with the help of family and friends, Makhura bought the shack for R10 000 and renovated it.

The community supported her initiative and as demand grew the shack that catered for 15 children soon housed 30 children.

She also hired two more teachers and a cleaner.

Later, she discovered an abandoned church, buying the plot on which it stood.

Makhura told the Cape Times: “I have three kids of my own, but I have the kids of the community too.

“There should be more projects helping, like the Cipla Foundation.

“And the government should be more lenient with their rules, because we need more ECD centres in the area.

“In the next two years I will sit down and help older women in the community,” she said.

“I am a mover; I love to see people develop.”

Picture: Henk Kruger/ANA LABOUR OF LOVE: The founder of Lehlohonolo Pre-School, Martha Makhura, 58, has a story to tell. It all began with her love for the development of children from a previously disadvantaged area called Europe in Gugulethu.