“Children are the custodians of our culture and way of life. This helps to instill pride of self and culture.”
Regina Makunga was born in 1950. She grew up within the rural villages of Transkei. She loves children and has dedicated herself to nurturing and caring for them. Although she attained only primary level of education, her work in the community is outstanding. She is married.
When in 1994 the person previously in charge of Zamani Pre-School was appointed to parliament, the future of this community project looked bleak. No one was willing to take over only to have the project fail. Then Regina Makunga (Mamu Makunga) volunteered to assist until a suitable and qualified person was available. The rest as they say, is history. Zamani Pre-School is aimed at providing a refuge for non-school-going children and to assist them in their early childhood development. Mamu Makunga and her staff provide a child-friendly environment, giving the children an opportunity to broaden their mind whilst instilling a sense of pride in their peoples culture and heritage. The children interact and benefit from story telling. With limited financial resources, the staff depend more on their vast knowledge of traditional stories to pass on rather than on books. Mamu Makunga is a custodian of her peoples culture and tradition. She started to work toward a rejuvenation of the African culture long before it was fashionable. Her commitment and dedication to the preservation of her peoples culture is profound. She tells stories and teaches the young about their culture and people. Her community has started to realize what a great heritage they have and more people have started to embrace the spirit of African Renaissance.
Zamani Pre-School
Africa | South Africa
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