Telecommunication group Vodacom has launched a new Green Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre at the Grasar Day Care Centre, in Gauteng.

The project forms part of Vodacom’s Green ECD Programme, which facilitates the planting of vegetables at various ECD centres across the country and aims to ensure access to food through sustainable farming at these centres, improving the quality of life for the children and the communities they serve.

“The latest figures show that over nine-million people in South Africa are facing high levels of acute food insecurity. For children, with the basic right to food out of reach, learning often falls by the wayside,” said Vodacom South Africa external affairs director Takalani Netshitenzhe.

“Urgent, immediate action is needed through sustainable farming practices, which can help to reduce these food gaps now and in the future, as well as to support education while preserving our planet for the next generation.”

“At Grasar Day Care Centre, we want to create a safe, educational space for the young children in our community. For many, the only healthy meal they receive is with us at the centre. The sustainable food gardens are not only nurturing their physical wellbeing but nurturing their minds with learning opportunities. This will lay a solid foundation for their education in the future,” said Grasar Day Care Centre owner Grace Maluleke.

The Green ECD Programme takes the centres through a six-step sustainability journey.

Through partnerships with local nonprofit organisations (NPOs) and private businesses, the Green ECD Programme enables the planting of vegetables and fruit trees across Vodacom’s eight ECD centres to supply the children with healthy food, thereby supplementing feeding schemes, while promoting sustainable practices.

The vegetables and fruit planted in the gardens, including tomatoes, butternut, spinach, beetroot and peaches, have been chosen for their nutritional value and their ability to withstand varying growing conditions.

To complement these sustainable gardens, the programme also runs educational workshops and sustainable farming training for educators and parents on sustainable farming practices, which can be filtered through to the children’s families and other community members.

“This will help to maintain the food gardens and ensure sustainable food production while addressing the need for skills development. In addition, educators and parents will be able to use their new-found knowledge to guide young children in making better choices for the planet,” Netshitenzhe added.

The food gardens also provide opportunities to supply local vendors and increase access to fresh produce in the area.

Further, each ECD centre is fitted with a 5 000 ℓ JoJo tank to collect rainwater, as well as six solar panels and energy-efficient appliances.

“With these initiatives, children can be cared for and educated in safe spaces that not only have a low impact on the environment but can also sustain them.”

Many of the ECD centres have received laptops and tablets from Vodacom to be used as resources for educators and children on how to follow sustainable practices.

“This aligns with Vodacom’s education ecosystem approach, which aims to leverage digital technology to enhance access to education and teach children why caring for the environment is so important,” explained Netshitenzhe.

At the end of 2021, several volunteer days were held at each ECD centre, where participants could assist educators and members of the community with gardening activities and join in introductory workshops to sustainable farming methods, such as permaculture.

Green infrastructure has been installed at two of the ECD centres with the remaining installations to take place early this year.

“We are excited to go on this green journey and help look after the planet for the next generation.”

The ECD centres benefitting from the programme are the Grasar Day Care Centre, in Gauteng; Lady Frere Day Care Centre, in the Eastern Cape; Divhani Community Creche, Hulisani Day Care Centre and Mvelaphanda Day Care Centre, all in Limpopo; Strydenburg Day Care Centre, in the Northern Cape; RANS Future Kids, in Mpumalanga and Sthandokuhle ECD Centre, in KwaZulu-Natal.

“Through partnerships with local NPOs, private businesses and communities, the Vodacom ECD Green Programme is ensuring children are given the best start in life with appropriate learning material, nutrition and infrastructure.

“This supports our efforts in going further together to connect the next digital billion to a better future without a cost to the environment,” concluded Netshitenzhe.