Goal: to provide a safe place for vulnerable children and to provide opportunities whereby they could become school ready through:

- The exposure of the children to daily activities that will encourage optimal early childhood development

- The development the lay day care workers in early childhood development and related skills

The day care centre at Refilwe was started in 2004. Currently 61 children from ages 3 month to 6 years old are registered with this program. The Day Care workers follow a fixed schedule which is mentored by an ex-primary school principal. She also is providing in-service training in early childhood development and care to the day care workers. Refilwe is in the process of registering the Day Care with Department of Social Development as an Early Childhood Development Centre, which implies that the government could subsidize this program. Day Care services include two nutritious meals every day for each child. The children are at the Day Care from 07:00 until 16:00 during weekdays. The children are divided into 5 classes of 12 children each. Volunteers helping at the Day Care do activities like feeding, changing nappies, playing with the children, reading, etc.

How to help? The Day Care centre provides a service to the children whose families live in the informal settlements. The day care fees the parents and care takers are paying is only R50/ month which are inadequate to cover daily expenses and running costs. Refilwe would be grateful for support to the Day Care Centre towards:

• Nutritious meals – rice and other grains, breakfast cereals, oats, milk powder (no blends or Cremora equivalents), fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese, bread, chicken, mince meat and sausages, bean and lentils
• Daily expenses per child per month that is currently R630/child
• For the babies: Nappies, formula, gloves for cleaning bums, bum ointment, towels, face cloths
• Cleaning materials: laundry soap, JIK, Domestos, dishwashing liquid, Handy Andy
• Toys, colouring books, crayons, cardboard, poster sheets, soft toys to take home
• Sponsor training / short courses for the day care workers
• Sponsor occasional team day outings for the day care workers – e.g. like a day at the spa, lunch at the Wimpy, a movie-day, etc