04 Aug 2022

 Save Wildlife, through its conservation fund, has built a playgroup facility for children of Daunara settlement in the Ngamiland.

The facility, consisting if a classroom resourced with learning materials, an outdoor kitchen and toilets, is one of the many that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has introduced to cater for children from ages one to six years in remote settlements that have no formal education structures.

Handing over the playgroup facility on Wednesday, Save Wildlife director, Ms Wabothe Letubo said partnership with the local government ministry was born from realising that people living in wildlife management areas who made a living by fishing, mokoro rides and reeds harvesting carried children around when they embarked on such activities.

That, she said, posed a high risk to the infants because there were hazards in the wilderness, adding, ‘these infants are denied an opportunity to play with their peers in a more structured setting like any other child in developed villages and cities’.

Ms Letubo said playgroups allowed children to go through early childhood development stages effectively by learning to speak, play, read and count as well as interact with their age mates.

She added that Save Wildlife supported 36 playgroups in Okavango, Ngamiland, Boteti and the Central District.

She also said since the inception of the children in 2011, a total of 11 400 children had graduated from playgroups and went to formal schools.

Explaining the playgroup concept, Maun Administrative Authority social and community development officer, Ms Kenamile Setlhoka observed that such  were advanced mantlwane that were well structured to nurture children physically and mentally to be able to relate with one another. She said government realised that there was a gap between children in settlements and those in villages and towns due to lack of daycare centre services in settlements.

“Playgroups are not as tense and formal as daycare centres because the aim is for a child to interact and grasp basic child development skills so that they have proper foundation to later be absorbed into mainstream education,” she said.

Ms Setlhoka explained that playgroups regulations provided that there be run by NGOs, VDCs and churches, who source funds from investors.

She further said playgroups trainers were natives of that particular settlement to enable seamless communication through the use of vernacular should there be need.

Bojanala Ward councillor, Mr Luke Motlaleselelo explained that the playground came about after residents of Daunara expressed their needs and he pitched the idea to Save Wildlife, who showed interest.

“The playgroup plays a meaningful role in Daunara as parents are able to leave their children in a school setting free of charge and go and make a living,” Councillor Motlaleselelo said.

He, therefore, urged residents to take good care of the playgroup facility and be on the lookout for criminals who may steal from and vandalised the property.

For his part, Kgosi Molatlhegi Wadzimi of Daunara reiterated that residents should safeguard the establishment to ensure it produced a long lasting legacy for the settlement.

He said such a  development presented  a moment of celebration for Daunara as they had been for years yearning for their children’s educational facility.  ENDS