I arrived on a Monday evening, May 8th, the sun was warming up the day on the long drive through the flat bush area from Johannesburg to Mafikeng. We have been driving for hours along sight a straight road. Our eyes recognized kilometers of flat bush grasslands, sometimes with some cows grassing, from time to time a few farmhouses. It was a peaceful route to Tsibogang.
When we arrived in Mafikeng, I remembered the house, the routines, the smells and the area from my time in 2011. The black outs became more frequent – so there is a clear plan for energy transition. This was something what was relatively new to me to prep the time when there is energy supply and when it is off – coffee and tea in the morning when there is no power can be prepped very well.
Around 9am the next morning, Christel and I drove to the Kindergarten project in Magogoe . This was one of the projects I spent most time 12 years back and it felt good being back. The sound of the children joyful screaming when the car arrived gave me a big smile. A few moments later – quiet playtime. All the kids were looking after their own play, well behaved, everyone in their own space. They played in small groups quietly or by themselves.
Before lunch, it was outside playtime. All kids cleaned up their own desks and all Montessori materials were stored in the shelves. And here it was again, the laughs of the kids, the running after each other, building a castle in the little playground, climbing and playing with lots of joy and full hearts. The well-educated kindergarten teacher combined with the materials of Montessori, the kindergarten house, the playground makes a huge difference for the area and the development of the children.
Watch the video for further impressions…
Tsibogang Godisang Kindergarden s
… and stay tuned for the next project I have visited,
Cordula