Fresh creche springs from old
Creative use of recycled materials by foreign interns helps fresh start
TEACHERS and parents shed tears of joy yesterday when the new Silindokuhle creche building was opened in Joe Slovo Township. The facility’s 85 children, from babies to five-yearolds, will now receive a high standard of early childhood development thanks to Port Elizabeth-based non-profit organisation Love Story, Williams Hunt and Indalo-Alliance Francaise.
The innovative building was designed and constructed using recycled materials by a collective of French architecture interns together with Kenyan architect Kevin Kimwelle.
“Our design was inspired by a green agenda, which means using recycled material. We had to be innovative and creative in cost-effective ways while creating something the community can sustain,” Kimwelle said.
The materials used included 1 500 wine bottles used to build a striking wall, which adds to the building’s artistic feel.
The facility has come a long way from the tiny shack built four years ago by Joe Slovo resident Patricia Piyane, 44, who had recognised the great need for early childhood development in the community. An initial 10 children were enrolled. By 2013 parents had warmed to the idea, which led to Piyane approaching Love Story for assistance.
An emotional Piyane said yesterday she had always had a strong bond with children and enjoyed helping people in need.
“I started this creche because I want young children in my community to get a good foundation for their education,” she said.
“My goal is to ultimately run a community centre where we can have initiatives that develop the community.
“Having the books and learning material that will stimulate pupils means a lot to us. We are one step closer to achieving our goals,” she said.
Love Story’s Mary-Ann Oosthuizen said the initiative came at a time when the NPO wanted to get involved with building.
“We are very excited by how the project became a world initiative. It has been amazing to see the community and different societies coming together to make this happen,” she said.
For six months, seven interns – from Rouen, Nantes and Marne-la-Vallee in France, and from Prague – have been hard at work building the artistically decorated creche.
Nantes architecture intern Sylvain Guitard, 24, described the experience as humbling.
“We are very proud of the final product. It took us a long time and a lot of effort to build the creche. It was intense but when you see parents cry tears of joy, it was worth it,” Guitard said.
Amother of one of the children at the creche, Luleka Nqakwana, 35, expressed her excitement at the opening.
“I am very happy about this new creche . . . we all know how important getting a good education is. We’re very grateful,” she said.
Thembakazi Bixa, 37, said: “I am very relieved now because we know our children don’t have to sit on wet floors when it rains and it won’t be extremely hot when the weather is warm.
“This has brought a great deal of joy to the community.”
During construction five community members were chosen to assist with the design and building of the facility, as part of Indalo’s aim to transfer skills and ultimately register a woodwork SMME that will sustain the community.