In 2010 Matjana Preschool finally started building its very own classroom. We were given land from the umphakatsi (chiefdom) after receiving a donation of E11,000. The money was raised by four Irish tourists, who said visiting our preschool was the most rewarding experience of their volunteer-teaching holiday. Community members came out in numbers to cart water, mix cement and move blocks, to construct the building.
Unfortunately a promise of additional funding to put a roof on the classroom didn’t eventuate, and we were unable to complete the building in 2010. But the good news that teacher Ncobile had been accepted to study for a Diploma of Early Childhood Education kept our spirits up.