Celebrating their 19th Birthday, as well as National Children’s Day, the Oasis Asset Management group handed over a check of R4.7 million to Professor Eric Atmore for the Centre for Early Childhood development (CECD). This cheque, the group says will go towards the advancement of teacher and caregiver skills as well as the upgrade and development of early childhood development facilities.

In attendance at the event was Basic education Minister Angie Motshekga who acknowledged that the youth play a key role in the future of South Africa.

“There is nothing more important in every nation’s life than its children so to celebrate children’s day and also to celebrate a program which develops children is a number one priority so having the private sector being involved in real plans in great,” said Minister Motshekga.

CEO of the Oasis group, Adam Ebrahim says that this handover will bring Oasis’ investment towards early childhood education to over R10 million, a total of which has been channelled through to the CECD.

“As we develop our nation, we need to ensure that everyone is included in that development and that growth and the best way to ensure that we have a happy and prosperous society is by growing our people and the best way of doing that is by sharing the bounty that we’ve had,” Ebrahim continued.

This month further marks 40 years since the 1976 youth uprising in Soweto which was a series of protests led by high school students protesting against Afrikaans being as the medium of instruction in schools.

The group has said that the funding for the CECD will benefit communities in Athlone, Bishop Lavis and Bonteheuwel amongst others and Professor Atmore, CEO of the CECD said that the funding will ensure that children are exposed to developmental play and learning.

VOC (Umarah Hartley)