Victor Mecoamere

Victor Mecoamere

Winnie Masesi Nsimbini is a self-effacing workaholic whose life revolves around helping others.

As head of the Khulangelwati Day Care Centre, she is in charge of a busy centre of community excellence, though its core business is nurturing 200 children aged between three months and six years.

"But I cannot do it all on my own," Nsimbini says about the work at Khulangelwati.

The work includes adult basic education and training (Abet) and training early childhood development (ECD) practitioners.

Nsimbini, Ntombizodwa Khoza and Cynthia Simbini teach children aged five. Nthabiseng Ndlovu and Delisiwe Simelane handle children aged four and Lucy Mthethwa and Philisile Nkosi are in charge of children aged three.

Doris Hlophe and Thembi Matsane look after the needs of children not older than two years.

Nsimbini says: "We have two cooks, Nonhlanhla Gininda and Victoria Mvubu, and two gardeners, Musa Thabethe and Johannes Ndawe."

Nsimbini runs the Abet classes with Cynthia Simbini and Elsie Mdawe and she handles the ECD practitioners' education and training on her own.

"But you cannot teach without expanding your own knowledge in this crucial area," Nsimbini says.

So, she is studying towards a National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 5 qualification through Unisa, after which she will pursue a degree.