Our two local teachers are currently busy with their National Qualification Level 5 Early Childhood Development Montessori training, which is offered by the Indaba Institute in South Africa and facilitated by First Children. They are close to the end of their Maths Module. The ladies started their training in 2018 when Montessori Trainer Jennifer Moore did the training alone. She was only able to come do training during the school holidays, as the teachers work during the week.

Covid19 put an almost two -year delay on their studies, but when they restarted their training in March 2021, they were well motivated again and keen to continue. They were then attending training every Tuesday afternoon and a number of full day sessions during the holidays. In March 2022, they started attending training on a Tuesday and a Thursday afternoon, with some full day sessions during the holidays.

The two ladies are progressing well on their course now, and see a light. All their Portfolios of Evidence that have been marked have come back with positive comments. They attend training at Ikhaya Labantwana Montessori in Coffee Bay, which is 10km away from Hole in the Wall, up and down over about 6 hills.

MGGF awarded Ncinci One’s a small grant to enable these women to use public transportation to travel to and fro Ikhaya Labantwana Montessori. After working during the mornings with the children in Hole in the Wall, using the bus saves them both time and means they are much less tired. MGGF is so pleased to be able to help Ncinci One’s Montessori improve its teaching staff.

Emergency Grant 2020

When the Pandemic struck, the South African government shut down all its nation’s schools. For Ncinci One’s Montessori, this meant the children did not receive meals. Many families totally dependent on government aid were left bereft. MGGF provided an emergency grant to help cover the food gap.

School Toileting Grant 2020

Ncinci One’s Montessori School started in 2016 in a rondavel, a round mud hut with a conical roof. It lacked running water, electricity and had no toileting facilities. Yet the school grew serving more children and having more staff. By 2020, Ncinci One’s was ready to add toileting facilities. MGGF along with others contributed to the construction of solar toilets. The children learned proper toileting and no one had to use the long-drops any longer. And these toilets became part of a sustainability cycle. The effluence from these low water use toilets is composted and eventually used as fertilizer for a fruit orchard which will provide fruit for the children.