EcoProducts is a company based in the Limpopo which produces Baobab oil and Baobab powder. But that’s not all they do. Dr Sarah Venter the owner, has also created the Baobab Foundation which supports early learning in pre-school children.
She began the Baobab Pre-school Programme as an initiative which identifies under-resourced pre-schools in the areas where baobab harvesters live. The support that is given to the pre-schools is determined by the individual needs of each and includes the following:
- Training the carers (teachers) in early childhood development.
- Providing educational toys, jungle gyms and swings.
- Helping improve the infrastructure of the premises.
- Supplying nutritional non-perishable food.
Early Childhood Development has been identified as a means of breaking the poverty cycle. Children who do not receive a strong foundation in their early development are found to be stunted academically. By focusing on the correct development areas and adequate nutrition before school-going age, children are given a boost that will help them for the rest of their lives.
NEO has decided to support Sarah in this vitally important initiative as a way of contributing to the future of South Africa. We’ve made a commitment to contribute an amount every month and this is what happened in July:
There’s a tiny creche in Tshikuyu village. It is a particularly under resourced creche and they had a number of basic needs which we’ve been able to help with.
Mukovha wa Bale Community Creche can no longer stay in their current premises and need to build a creche. Rachel Bebeda, the principal, is hugely motivated and has already done a lot for this creche. When Sarah asked her what she needed, she immediately said she needed cement. In this impoverished dry, dusty environment, every bit of building material helps!
If you would like to contribute to EcoProducts’ Baobab Foundation to support this very worthwhile project, Sarah would be delighted to hear from you. You can contact her here: sarah@ecoproducts.co.za
Pre-school creches in the dusty dry rural villages of the Limpopo rarely have any facilities, toys or even basic infrastructure like toilets or a fence to keep little ones safe.
