How Thandiwe Mahlangu built a successful daycare in Langaville from scratch  

Langaville – Thandiwe Mahlangu’s passion for child care and education collided as unemployment sought to drag her down.
The 24-year-old ECD principal said that she is now living her dream.

“After completing matric I struggled to find work. I was hosting events for children, usually during school holidays.

“I asked my mom for a chance to organise a fun day, and it was a success. Then I started working at my mom’s daycare centre,” she explained.

Mahlangu said the daycare gave her the platform to express her many innovative ideas.

“Some of the parents would call me over the weekends and ask me to explain to their children why they cannot come to school.

“The children became so attached to me, and the parents trusted me with their children. I was so committed to the ideas I had that I would work overtime and not even notice,” she said.

Eventually she knew she had to grow and start her own institution. In 2022, she qualified in Early Childhood Development. She also worked as a teacher’s assistant at one of the local secondary schools.

“I had the idea to start the centre in May last year. This building used to be a crèche before, but it shut down in 2018.

“That is when I started the process of asking the councillor and the community if I could work here,” she explained.

The building was dilapidated, with broken windows and no roof.

“I would use my R350 (social relief of grant) to buy door handles and paint. I had some help with electrical connections and installing the ceiling.

“I would come here in the morning and work the whole day to make this place decent,” she said.

By August, Mahlangu felt that she had enough to invite parents to bring their children.

“I had five children between August and December. Today we have more than 20 children. That is how much we have grown,” she added.

Mahlangu said that her short-term goal is to find a bigger space to run the centre. She also encourages unemployed youth to find their passion and come up with a plan to achieve their goals.

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