Scene 7: Meeting with the CECD: “Let’s do it.”

Background

A follow-up meeting was organised with Eric Atmore, the director of the Centre for Early Childhood Development (CECD). The purpose of this meeting was for the Advisors to gain insight into the opportunities that could be established between the CECD and Flamingo Crescent community. The main discussion would go towards the creation of a crèche once the reblocking is completed.

Cast of Characters

WPI Project Team
WPI Professors: Scott Jiusto, Lorraine Higgins
CECD: Eric Atmore
Flamingo Crescent Resident: Elizabeth

Setting

The Centre for Early Childhood Development in Claremont, Western Cape

Scene

Elizabeth, Veronica, and Sarah joined our advisors in Eric’s office for a follow up meeting with the CECD. Unlike the previous meeting which was focused on learning about the centre’s resources and the possibilities for crèche upgrading in Langrug, in this meeting we wanted to discuss our efforts in Flamingo Crescent in more detail.

Eric, eager to begin, started asking Elizabeth about the state of Flamingo Crescent including the demographics, the community goals, and the special layout.  Elizabeth began shyly answering Eric’s questions as they came, her thorough knowledge of the specific details of the community truly invaluable, as always.  In addition to the leadership in the community and demographics, Elizabeth shared her insight into the community’s state in ways we had not yet heard explicitly.  In previous meetings, Elizabeth represented the community’s voice as a whole, over her own.  She had brought up interest in a church, recreational facility, and park all on equal grounds.  Today, however, she emphasized the importance of the children over any other community need.  When Eric asked her if a facility would be used, she quickly responded, “yes,” without a second thought.

Vero then explained the innovative reblocking project in Flamingo Crescent.  She shared with Eric the new concept of strengthening a community through constructing safer and more organized structures. She then shared the CAD layout that the community had been working to develop with Veronica and Gaetana.  A large emphasis was given to the central public open space where a crèche could potentially be located.

“Let’s do it… let’s build a preschool,” Eric said, as we pointed out the dimensions of the space and another open play ground area in the community. In his excitement, he told us about a donation for a crèche upgrade that was recently made and that he was so impressed by the community’s layout design that he was willing to allocate this resource into making the Flamingo Crèche possible. He explained about the process that would occur in Flamingo Crescent beginning in January when their office reopened after the New Year.  He then left the office to bring in and introduce the two field workers who would preside over the project. He introduced them to all, especially to Elizabeth with whom they would be working.

After the meeting, we realized that we needed to investigate the exact number of children the facility will support. This would be a figure we can access in the enumeration data from CORC’s 2012 records.  Eric also expressed that recording our process with the community thus far will be of high importance for the success of the project.

Reflection

This meeting was extremely successful in that we received a commitment to the design and construction of a crèche in Flamingo Crescent.  Eric, the Director of the Centre for Early Childhood Development, was so impressed by the leadership and organization in Flamingo Crescent that he was willing to immediately commit his resources to the project, including financial support.  Not only was this an important moment for Flamingo Crescent, but also for our own team’s motivation in our final days on site.  Our efforts with the Flamingo Crescent community truly made a tangible stride in today’s meeting. Through this new partnership, we can rest assured that the project will be completed after we have gone.