LIV CAPE TOWN
LIV CAPE TOWN BRIDGES EDUCATIONAL INEQUALITY BY EMPOWERING VULNERABLE CHILDREN WITH QUALITY EARLY YEARS EDUCATION
EDUCATING THE CHILDREN OF FISANTEKRAAL
Rob and Niki Mason’s journey began in 2015 when they met Tich and Joan Smith, who sparked a deep sense of purpose within them. They felt called to relocate their family to South Africa and join the LIV family. Their initial work included running sports programmes and school literacy groups in disadvantaged communities in the Northern suburbs of Cape Town. The COVID-19 lockdown provided an opportunity to undertake door-to-door food relief work in Fisantekraal, and during this time, the community voiced a common concern about a lack of quality pre-school education facilities. This desire to meet a critical community need gave birth to LIV Cape Town.
On 2 May 2023 our Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre opened its doors, providing a loving and nurturing environment for up to 100 of the most vulnerable children in our community. Many of these children face significant challenges such as Foetal Alcohol Syndrome or developmental delays resulting from malnutrition and other poverty-related factors. Our holistic approach to child development involves supporting the physical and emotional well-being of each child. Our aim is to release children who are well prepared for primary school when they leave our care at the age of five.
MAKING LONG-TERM IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY
As we embark on this transformative journey, our vision extends beyond the immediate impact of providing quality childcare and job creation. We have a whole-family focus, building relationships with parents and caregivers, and creating opportunities for them to get involved where possible. Our site has capacity for future projects – which may include a school for children with learning disabilities and social enterprises which will foster sustainability. Through our ECD Centre and related projects, we aim to break the cycle of inequality in Fisantekraal and create a brighter future for generations to come.
Preschool
Jobs & Skills Training
Food Garden Project
GIVING CHILDREN FROM DISADVANTAGED
BACKGROUNDS A
CHANCE TO SUCCEED
Our school can provide all-day care for up to 100 pre-school aged children. We only accept children from Fisantekraal, which is an under-resourced, fast-growing community.
Our school environment is homely, yet our resources and curriculum are modern. Our philosophy is to make learning as fun and interactive as possible. The teachers have a gentle, motherly approach with the children.
PROVIDING JOBS AND SKILLS TRAINING FOR
THE COMMUNITY
Through our ECD Centre, we are creating 16 jobs to previously unemployed people. Our policy is to only employ people from Fisantekraal to work at the Centre.
Skills training and more employment opportunities will be made available once we start our social enterprises
GROWING OUR OWN FOOD IN OUR GARDEN
With so many mouths to feed, we decided to turn a six-hundred square metre portion of our site into an organic fruit and vegetable garden. Nutrition forms a core pillar of our approach, ensuring that our children receive the nourishment they need to thrive. We include protein, fruit, and vegetables in at least two of the four meals we provide daily. By incorporating these essential elements into their diet, we not only promote their physical well-being, but also support their cognitive and overall development. This space will be a sensory wonderland, an outside ’classroom’, where a lot of learning and discovering will happen.
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