Pebbles Project is a non-profit organisation in Stellenbosch that enriches the lives of disadvantaged farm children and families through education. Operating throughout the Western Cape, they have changed the lives of many vulnerable people. One of these people is Nydene. Read her story:
22-year-old Nydene van Rooyen grew up on Niel Joubert wine farm where she lives with her uncle. As a baby, Nydene attended the Pebbles Project Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre on the farm. When she turned six, she joined the Pebbles Project After-School Club.
When the Pebbles Project Support Teacher at the After-School Club noticed that Nydene presented with barriers to learning, she assisted Nydene in enrolling into Dorothea school. Dorothea school is situated in Stellenbosch and was established to meet the needs of handicapped children and children with special educational needs.
Nydene has always dreamed of working with children. "When I was a little girl, I would walk past the Pebbles ECD centre on the farm and dream of working inside the centre one day. It was my heart’s biggest desire to work for Pebbles and work with children."
After she finished school, her uncle reached out to the Pebbles Project community cluster manager who oversees the work of Pebbles Project on Niel Joubert wine farm. Nydene’s uncle inquired whether there was a position available for Nydene to work at the ECD centre. Nydene volunteered at the ECD centre for 6 months and was later employed full-time. Nydene works as a First Thousand Days (FTD) assistant and assists the ECD practitioners with taking care of the babies.
Nydene loves working at the Pebbles Project ECD centre: "It is my passion to work with children, especially to look after the babies. I also enjoy working with the other practitioners. We make a great team and we enjoy working together. I can’t see myself working anywhere else."
Nydene is proud of herself. "I am very proud of the work that I do. My family is also very proud of how far I’ve come," she says.
Nydene feels that Pebbles Project had a positive impact on her life. "Pebbles is made up of a team of people who look at who you are as a person and really try to find a way for you to shine and make a success out of your life," she says. "Pebbles made my childhood dream come true. If it wasn’t for Pebbles, I wouldn’t be where I am today."
There are plenty of good news stories about upliftment and transformation in the South African wine industry. The #wineforgood website, launched by wine.co.za in June 2016, hosts all the positive stories from the winelands, of which there are plenty. wine.co.za has made April a focus for #wineforgood stories. Share them far and wide and spread the good news about South African wine. If you'd like to submit a story, please email editor@wine.co.za.