MONANG CRECHE + | studio 8FOLD

"Rose Molepo flashed a big smile after officially receiving the keys to a brand-new building from where she will run her crèche and daycare centre."

- Lucas Ledwaba (https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-05-31-it-took-a-limpopo-village-and-some-eager-brits-to-raise-a-creche/).

The pre-school is led by head teacher Rose Molepo who has been running a pre-school since 2001. The new building will allow the pre-school to register as an official early childhood development (ECD) provider, making them eligible for government subsidised childcare funding.

Monang Pre-school was designed to the brief set by the Department for Basic Education, Limpopo. The site presented design challenges, overcome with pile foundations and steel beam foundations. The pre-school includes 2 large classrooms, a sick-bay, an office, a kitchen and secure storage areas. The studio included photovoltaic lighting, USB charging and a rainwater harvesting system as well as several fruit producing trees. The substantial outdoor deck nearly doubles the formal space, functioning as an outdoor classroom.

Over the last 15 years the design/build studio has become embedded in the local communities around Hanertsburg South Africa – maintaining relationships with several head teachers and our long-time partners the Thusanang Trust and Education Africa.

We work closely with the Thusanang Trust and Education Africa to deliver the projects, this being the 11th Project so far over 12 years that has been built. Thusanang Trust helped develop the brief, working directly with the local heads of the creches to develop, then reporting back to the design team on what is needed and the scale the project needs to be.

There is a complexity in working in this environment and a relationship that needs to be cherished. We are proud to have been involved and are already planning the next build with the Trust and the University of Nottingham.

Going forward the unit is actively seeking to be more embedded with local universities and partners, for a more fully fledged and mutually beneficial exchange on multiple levels.

We would like to thank our many supporters who donated towards the water tank (JoJo tank), planting and rainwater gutters, as well as small power solar for lights and USB charging capabilities. We would also like to say thank you to the Autodesk Foundation who have supported us in our mission to create positive impact.