Posted in Stories on 24 May 2016

Cape Town - The South African Early Childhood Development (SA ECD) Awards, now in their 12^th year, awarded a total of R545 000.00 worth of prizes to the winners at a gala dinner  held in Cape Town on Wednesday, 04 May 2016. The 34 finalists from all nine provinces were hosted by the Minister of Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini, who is the national custodian of the awards.

The National Development Agency (NDA), an agency of the Department of Social Development, championed the awards for the second time after taking over the hosting of the awards from ABSA. The awards are hosted in partnership with the Department of Social Development, SASSA, Department of Basic Education and Health, the South African Congress for ECD and UNICEF.  

The awards seek to develop and empower the early childhood develop (ECD) sector by recognizing excellence, innovation, best practice, dedication and participation throughout South Africa. The awards aim to promote the ECD sector and emphasize the importance of investing in early learning.

“It is important that as we develop the ECD sector in South Africa and make it professional, that we also develop the women who have always been in the forefront of developing the South African child. They must also benefit from the growth in the sector. No woman should be left behind in our process of moving the sector forward”, Minister Dlamini said. 

With the call by government to make early childhood development a public good, these awards play a critical role in accelerating the implementation of a comprehensive ECD programme, covering the period from the conception of the child to formal school going age. These awards also highlight the need for both civil society and the private sectors to recognise the importance of early childhood development programmes.   

The NDA’s Acting Chief Executive Officer also took the opportunity at the ceremony to introduce the NDA’s new Board of Directors. The Board will play a critical role in ensuring adherence to governance requirements and that the NDA support civil society organisations with the necessary skills in their fight against poverty and speeding up development in poor communities in South Africa.

Among the 34 finalists were participants who won the provincial phase of the awards in the categories of Best ECD Centre and Best ECD Practitioner.  The winners in these two categories are:  

Best ECD Practitioner of the Year

• Jackinah Masotla (rural) from Limpopo
• Veronica Masingita (urban) from the Eastern Cape
• Dimakatso Seshaoke  (informal) from the Free State

  Best ECD Centre of the Year

• Loerie Heuwel Creche (rural) in Eastern Cape
• Mahlasedi Community Creche  (rural) in Limpopo
• Africa Community Projects Day Care (informal) in Western Cape

 
Other categories that were also awarded on the evening of 04 May 2016 include:   
Best ECD Programme for children and babies with disabilities of the year

• Bellinah Ratau (informal) from Mokgalaborwa Centre For Children with Disabilities in Limpopo
• Elizabethe Mbhele from Tshepang ECD Centre For Children With Disabilities in the Free State (urban)
• Kristien Bahumi (rural) Kagisho Day Care For Children With Disabilities in the Northern Cape

  Best ECD Publication of the Year

• Vivlia Publishers

Best ECD Illustrator of the Year

• Debbie Human

Best ECD Author of the Year

• Maya Fowler

Best ECD Emerging Publication of the Year

• Nonkululeko Nkosi from Land of Joy Daycare in Gauteng

Best ECD publication: Special Mention

• Stacey Fru

Best Non-centre Based Programme of the Year

• Ikamva Lethu (urban) in the Eastern Cape
• Ubuntu (rural) in the Eastern Cape
• Tshwaraganang Barolong (informal) in North West

  Best ECD Trainer of the Year

• Margatet Goliath (Informal) from Kwazulu-Natal
• Princess Nkwana (Urban) from South African Congress for Early Childhood Development.
• Nanase Leboa (Rural) from CUSTODA Trust in the Northern Cape 

  Special Mentions

• Martha Sesana Ntuli – Special Awards for Extended Service in ECD
• Thokozani Msimang – Special Awards for Dedicated Service in ECD  
• Sarah Driver-Jowitt from Uhambo Foundation for the Ndinogona “I Can”  programme for Extended Service in the field of children with disabilities  

  The SA ECD Awards continue to grow and have a great impact on the development of the ECD sector. The NDA is confident that the awards will grow in 2016 and take the ECD sector to greater heights.    

-ENDS-

For more information please contact:

National Development Agency

Ms Lesego R