A first-of-its-kind, sustainably-built, Early Childhood and Development (ECD) centre for underprivileged children in Delft, Cape Town.
Educare is a life-changing initiative that focuses on Early Childhood Development (ECD). It helps give impoverished children a bright start in life through letting them experience what each and every child deserves – a safe, uplifting space and a nurturing environment.
Together with our amazing partner in good, Uthando (an NPO dedicated to supporting the country’s most undeserved communities), we’re on a mission to help fund the construction of 10 much-needed Educare centres across South Africa.
Ulwazi Educare in Delft now marks the 7th centre we are proud to have helped bring to completion. And while every centre is special and unique in its own way, Ulwazi is making history and has us excited for another reason. It’s the first ECD centre in South Africa that’s sustainably built, almost entirely from reclaimed materials.
Catering for 120 children, the goal for Ulwazi Educare was to create an inspirational, healthy and environmentally sound and safe place for children. A space that can truly change a child’s life for the better, perhaps even forever.
Built from almost 2,000 used tyres, 6,000 ecobricks and over 1,500 lightweight bricks [made from crushed film sets], the building serves as an innovative blueprint. And along with its use of recycled glass bottles and natural low-cost materials such as adobe brick and natural plasters, it’s a sustainable solution for a much-needed infrastructure that can help serve a community in need. A solution we hope can inspire the construction of many other centres like it in years to come.
So, what we really love about the solution and its approach, is how it builds a better future. Firstly, by building future generations through its facilitation of ECD. Secondly, by having been constructed sustainably through the help of volunteers from all walks of life who could gain and, in turn, share knowledge of sustainable building techniques with others.
Suffice to say that this project is the output of smart thinking. We believe business is not just about profit, and all businesses (no matter their size) should be committed to making a difference. We are committed to making a difference.
