The Loaves and Fishes Network held their annual prize-giving in East London last Friday, where various early childhood development practitioners and centres were honoured.
The awards are aimed at women who have initiated and run crèches in the area.
Loaves and Fishes aims to assist children in need through various programmes. It also provides practitioners with key information through incubating and skills transfer programmes that can be incorporated into their educare centres.
Loaves and Fishes general manager Pateka Mtintsilana said the day was meant to celebrate the network’s practitioners and parents.
“We are here to celebrate the safe hands that guide the children,” Mtintsilana said.
“This is also to say thank you for caring for our children in this tough world and making the lives of the children better.”
Scenery Park-based Future Generations Daycare Centre owner Dunyiswa Sijobo could not contain her joy at being included in the programme in 2019.
“I am grateful for the education I received from LAFN,” Sijobo said.
“I also received educational toys for my children for the first time, and I got a lot from the network, and without you, I do not know where I would be.”
Loaves and Fishes treasurer Charl Herselman said it had been a tough year financially but they had managed to do a lot with the little they had.
Little Angels Educare’s Pumla Notyeke said they were well-equipped to deal with the holistic development of a child.
“I have learnt how to recycle ordinary household items into something safe that can be used in educare,” Notyeke said.
